The Bonds of Our Love
by Girl With A Heart Of Ice
Summary: Alexa is the newest member of the Fairy Tail guild. Together with Team Natsu, she faces her terrifying past and the possibilities of the future. A new, dangerous enemy approaches and Fairy Tail prepares for war. Natsu and Alexa grow close as the red string of fate binds the two together forever. NatsuxOC Jerza Gruvia GaLe Miraxus Elfgreen Zervis. Swearing, Violence, Lemon, Fluff
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Prologue

They say that life is a sacred thing- something to be cherished by everyone, something to fight for. They teach children that the world is a nice place filled with flowers and candy. They say that the kids never have to be afraid of anything because mom and dad are there. Nothing to be afraid of. That's a lie. Everything is a lie. That was the first thoughts that came to Alexa's mind as the smoke cleared.

Her whole life she had been searching for this –for a family since the one that had promised to be there for her had been so brutally ripped from her when she was but a toddler. Her haziest of memories contained fragments of a man with dark brown hair who had the warmest smile and a woman with reddish brown silk strands whose voice lulled her to sleep each night. The voice that would echo in her bedroom as she was lowered in the cot now once again echoes in her ears as the field before her were revealed.

" _ **Wandering child of the earth  
Do you know just how much you're worth?  
You have walked this path since your birth  
You were destined for more"**_

She had found her life. She had found her purpose. She had a family that was willing to do anything for her and she was willing to do anything for them. And he was there. She had finally found the person she was meant for. The person who lit up her world. Made her frozen heartbeat once again- made her feel at home.

 _It's a lie. Nothing more –just a lie to the innocent kids who don't know any better. But now you do know. You've seen it all and then some. You can't live covering in the shade of that lie. Because you're alone now. And you'll always be alone because that's who you chose to be –a lone protector. And so alone you shall be._

It wasn't fair, but when did life ever play by the rules? Her cries were drowned out by the screams of children. They were safe, far away from the battlefields that stretched out before her endlessly -the smoke still rising in the places where flames still licked the already scorched earth. Anything living had been wiped away. She could feel the remains of the once proud cities that lay in as rubble beneath her bare feet. Mixed in with the sharp pieces of rock was a crimson liquid that seemed to cover the whole battlefield.

" _ **There are those who'll tell you-you're wrong  
They will try to, to silence your song  
But right here is where you belong  
So don't search anymore"**_

Her eyes that were shared their color with the wide blue expanse that stretched over the fields were clouded by exhaustion and tears. She was already so tired. The tattered and ripped clothing, the bruises and cuts, broken bones and deep gashes. She could feel the inviting tug of sleep. If only her mind could be laid to rest. If she could sleep she would feel better but sleep wouldn't come to her.

Through her glazed eyes, she searched the fields one last time. She was ready to give up, but would continue searching until she found him –then she would rest beside the person who had shown her what it meant to love. Even as her gaze returned to her feet she still hoped somewhere in her heart. She would not rest until she was beside the man she loved. And so she stepped forward.

" _ **You are the dawn of a new day that's waking  
A masterpiece still in the making  
The blue in an ocean of grey  
You are right where you need to be  
Poised to inspire and to succeed  
You'll look back and you'll realize one day"**_

She stumbled through the rubble not caring for the new cuts that were added to old ones. As she made her way through the area that was once Crocuses market area she stopped for a moment to look into the horizon. The sun was just setting casting an orange and red hue over everything. If she had been able to think more clearly she would have laughed at the irony of the blood-colored sunset happening after one of the most destructive battles in the history of the continent.

As she resumed walking she saw them. There was Wendy who lay with her eyes wide open –unseeing, lifeless. One of her tiny hands was holding Chelia's hand while the other was clutching Carla. There were the Strauss siblings; Elfman and his two sister –their bodies torn to little shreds only distinguishable by the smell and the strands of silver hair mixed in with body parts and blood. Macao who was holding his dear son –both of them pierced by a large sword and thus dead. There were monsters larger than mountains sealed with shining ice barriers. Her guess would be Lyon and Gray. Some ways off lay Erza –still smiling as she held Jellal in their final embrace. Everywhere she looked she could see those who she had begun to call family. And she envied all of them –they all rested beside those that they loved, those that they trusted. Only she was wondering these plains, alone, scared and hopeless.

" _ **In your eyes there is doubt  
As you try to figure it out  
But that's not what life is about  
So have faith there's a way"**_

She walked through the remnants of the walls and continued to the endless fields before her. The sun was already below the horizon when she finally arrived at the foot of the mountain –or where the mountains had been before all of this. No other bodies laid here. The closest one was miles away. She saw him now. The olive eyes usually filled with a fire only he had now stared into nothingness. The mouth normally curved into a cocky grin or into a beautiful smile was now opened in shock. The clothes they had picked out together lay in tatters around him. Burns, bruises, cuts, dirt and blood covered the once tan skin –which had now turned deathly pale. Pink hair signed and covered in blood and dirt while his precious scarf was finally ripped. Besides him lay a blue exceed with both of its white wings twisted in angles that she didn't know where possible. Blood and dirt covered the blue fur that she had come to know so well.

Her tears that had dried already once began to flow again. How was it that while she had survived he now lay here, never to take another breath? How come she had been miles away when he had screamed in terror? How was it that she was there now, alone? She collapsed onto her knees. Bowing down she laid one final kiss to his lips and closed his eyes. He was colder than an ice mages ice to the touch. With that, she laid down beside him and embraced the body of her beloved. Then she closed her eyes. This time she knew that she would not wake either. She slipped into the darkness that had been calling to her. She fell to the world beyond and she could feel him there. Taking her hand guiding her to the rest that she had yearned. He was there when she opened her eyes. Smiling. Telling her that it was time. And so it was. One regret she had. If only she could have told him that she had been with a child –maybe, he would have stayed with her. But as her thoughts slipped away she allowed that one regret to slip away as well. After all their little daughter was here with them. The family let go. A light appeared and everything faded away.

" _ **Though the world may try to define you  
It can't take the light that's inside you  
So don't you dare try to hide  
Let your fears fade away"**_

 **A/N**

 **This is a new story of mine; I'm taking a break from Ghost Hunt -I have written most of its chapters ready but just don't have the will and the passion to check them right now. I will post them eventually but for now it's on break.**

 **So this facfic is set in the Fairy Tail universe. My own darling little OC will be the star and as such everything will go to hell. It's gonna be rated M but might change depending on how explicit I go in the later chapters. Also a warning to anyone who has something against long stories because this is a big project: I've written 7 chapters and a have the drafts of at least three more and it's not even the halfway point, and it's already almost 30,000 words... so a big project.**

 **Now for those of you who are wondering this, yes this is set after the manga ends and I have made several changes in the timeline and some things have been changed to suit my storytelling. Those changes shall be revealed as the story progresses.**

 **A lot of romance and some shitty explanations for strange powers. Also, some characters like Natsu and my dear little OC are like super Op and some like Lisanna, Mira and Elfman are drastically weaker compared to these powerhouses that I'm writing here. Just a fair warning if anyone had anything against that. Also be ready for some drastic changes in the writing style and the feel of the fic -listening to different music when writing does funny things to you. Anyway, If you are interested stick around, if not -please don't hate on me because you happen to have a different taste.**

 **Reviews are appreciated! I will also try to respond to any messages, so if you have any questions about the story, you can ask me.**

 **Be warned, there are grammar errors even if I try to fix them since I'm not a native English speaker.**

 **The song is Wanderer's Lullaby by Adrianna Figueroa.**

 **I don't own anything other than the idea of the story my OC. I do not have any claim to Fairy Tail -neither the manga nor the Anime -or to the song lyrics.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Fateful encounters

Alexa was wandering the streets of Magnolia in search of a good inn to spend the night at. Her sky blue eyes scanned the streets even as her mind wandered. She had been traveling for years and knew that her traveling would continue as soon when her job in Magnolia was completed. Spotting an inn that looked relatively nice she stepped in.

The lobby was nicely decorated with mahogany staircases, the dark wood melding together with the deep red carpets and drapes. A young woman with blond hair was sitting behind the reception desk. Alexa made her way over to the desk.

"Good evening, my names Lucy. Are you looking for a room to spend the night?" Alexa gazed into the deep chocolate pools that were the other girl's eyes.

"Yes, the best room that you have would be satisfactory." She told the blond.

"Of course miss." She turned around and got the key to the best room that they had to offer and handed a login book to the visitor.

"Your name, and the length of your stay here. We will require half the payment beforehand and the rest can be given when you leave." Lucy explained.

Alexa signed quickly her name and marked her stay as four days. Then she handed the book back and gave Lucy half of the money -4000 jewels. Lucy counted the money and then after depositing the cash she stood up and guided Alexa to her room. They made their way to the fifth floor of the building and Lucy opened the door to her suite. It was just as extravagant as the rest of the place and quite large.

"Thank you." She stated and smiled as Lucy handed her the key and walked back downstairs. Lexa stepped in dropped her backpack to the foot of the bed. She then shrugged off her red jacket with black fur lining and draped it over a chair.

She looked into the large whole body mirror and pulled her dark reddish brown hairs front part free form the braid that she usually sorted when traveling in hard terrain. The rest of the hair already laid free, flowing down her back all the way to her waist. She ran her fingers trough the dark locks a bit giving herself a bed head look and turned to take off the rest of her clothes. Kicking the black boots with small two inch heels that reached just below her knees off, she shed the black high-collared crop top with a square opening to show off her cleavage. Ridding herself of the black tight pants and the dark brown belt with a silver buckle she wandered over to the bathroom in her underwear.

She prepared a hot bath for herself and when ready slipped into the scorching heat. Her body relaxed into the water and she sighed. Her blue eyes closed and she leaned her head back as her mind once again wandered to the dreams that she had been seeing. Or more likely they were fragments of her own power showing her the future. She was a mage whose powers were still a mystery even to herself. She could control the powers of Nether- the underworld- and the powers of Ether- the heavens. Because of this, she was considered neither light or dark. It was one of the main reasons why she still had yet to join a guild. She feared what would await her if she ever did entrust this secret to anyone else. So to hide her true powers he mostly used the defensive spells and teleportation. Her offensive attacks were usually based on her heavenly powers, using the power of the stars to destroy her opponent in one single blast. But she preferred defense since her barriers of light were unbreakable. Well almost.

After washing her body she stood up and dried herself with a fluffy towel that was hanging on a rack next to the tub. She made her way to the bedroom where she rummaged her backpack and pulled out a large t-shirt and some underwear. Slipping into her sleepwear she made her way to gaze out of a window.

" _It's not fair… Run!...We're going die…Don't give in…. My powers…. don't die…"_

She was able to hear the distant voices that she didn't recognize. She had been able to deduce that these were visions of the future but the more she tried to see it the hazier the fragments became. It was only natural. She wasn't allowed to see the future since she would change it and thus change the world in ways that were irreversible. Avoiding one disaster usually led to a worse one soon after. She was already used to this and decided to just let it go. A soon as her she allowed herself to forget everything the fragments disappeared. She knew that she had seen something but had no idea what. She shut the curtains and made her way to the bed. She climbed under the covers and fell asleep.

FAIRY TAIL

Natsu looked up surprised when Lucy stormed into the break room. Their work shift for that day had ended just a few minutes ago and they were all meeting up to see if anything of noteworthy had happened during the day. Erza too looked up from the book she had been reading while Gray just cocked his head to acknowledge the new addition to the room.

"What's wrong Luce?" Natsu asked as the fuming celestial mage sat herself down onto one of the chairs while looking pissed off as fuck.

"What's wrong… nothing! Nothing at all. Except that damn bimbo that just came in!" Lucy shouted in aggravation.

"What about her?" Gray asked having seen the woman earlier as Lucy had been showing the brunette to her room.

"It's just…" Lucy trailed off and Erza cocked an eyebrow at her. Lucy sighed in defeat.

"Alright. It just that she was so… curvaceous." Happy chuckled and was about to make a sarcastic remark but Lucy hit the blue furball before he got the change to open his mouth.

"I know that it sounds like a silly thing to get pissed about, but it's just that she was so pretty."

"Don't worry, it's not like she'll be staying long. Soon you'll be number one again." Gary remarked while secretly comparing Lucy and the brunette in his head. He had to agree with Lucy on the fact that the woman really was a keeper. Her body and looks aside, he had been able to sense the calm and relaxing air around her. She was really gentle and he could see a lot of men gravitating toward such a person.

"Now then let's go through the reports. We must make this final report absolutely perfect so that the owner of this inn will give us the reward promised!" As the group turned their attention to the project of writing a perfect report to the innkeeper who was on a holiday Natsu let his ever-present smile slip away as a thoughtful look came on his face.

He had been with Erza handling the laundry when he had smelled it. There was a distinct scent of something sweet in the air. He would have left the sheets there and gone in search of such a scent had Erza no been there. His rational fear had forced him to stay and do his work. But now that he was sitting here he could still smell it. It was like the most fragrant flowers or the sweetest of chocolates. A scent that called to him.

He stood up and excused himself as he went to the lobby. The scent was still strong meaning that it must have been the woman that Lucy had been talking about since she had been the last quest of the night. He turned his head and walked outside. Walking to the middle of the wide street he looked up to the fifth floor. There, at the large window, he could see her. Not clearly since the sun was shining and its light reflected from the window but he could see her outline. Long hair and a curvaceous body just like Lucy had said. He saw as she turned away from the window and could hear as she laid down.

Natsu was more than a bit startled when he realized that he was actually able to listen to her heartbeat over all other noise in the city. He could hear as it calmed and fell into a rhythm of sleep. Her breathing steadied and he sensed as she calmed into the oblivion of sleep. His own body seemed to do the opposite. Her very presence seemed to make his mind run a thousand miles per hour. Shaking his head, he called for Happy, knowing the exceed was close and made his way home.

That night even as he laid in the hammock with his eyes closed he could hear her. He could feel her presence even though they were miles apart. He squeezed his eyes tighter together trying to fall asleep. He didn't understand why but he yearned to smell her again, to see her for himself. Natsu fell asleep that night thinking of a person he had never met before but somehow deep within feeling a connection with her. These unanswered questions of what was happening to him and who she was refused to abandon him to the calm of sleep.

FAIRY TAIL

The next morning Natsu woke up feeling utterly exhausted. He had only managed a few hours of sleep but he had to get up, otherwise, Erza and Lucy would skin him alive. Natsu dragged himself up and got dressed. His thoughts were still heavily on the mysterious person who he had sensed yesterday. Happy was quite concerned as Natsu left the house without even saying good morning or even eating anything. It was also quite early and Natsu wasn't exactly an early riser. Happy flew with him through the town as they made their way to the inn where their current job demanded that they work for two weeks. This was their last day at work so Happy wasn't sure why Natsu felt the need to be the first to arrive.

Natsu saw that it was only 5.40 as he passed a clock tower near the city center. Lucy and Erza would be arriving at 7 and Gray around 7.30. He had quite a bit of time before the others would be bouncing around demanding him to do silly chores.

His thoughts once again wandered as he walked. Ever since he woke up he had been able to feel the woman just like the day before. He could tell that she was still asleep though approaching the moment of waking up.

Natsu remembered everything that Igneel had told him when he had been teaching the young dragon slayer. Along with the power of the very dragons, dragon slayers also inherited some dragon instincts. There were the battle instincts and the urge to protect their pack, their family. But then there was the instinct to find the person who would complete them, their other half. Igneel had said that some dragon slayers would never find the one, but when they, there would be nothing like it in the whole world. Igneel had described the moment of finding that person as something that you could never mistake.

At some point, Natsu had thought that maybe Lucy was the one. He could feel her gentle spirit and burning determination. However as much as he wanted her to, she didn't complete him. He took great pride in being able to protect the blonde celestial mage but he never particularly cared for having half of his attention being taken by making sure that the blond wasn't killed since she had the habit of sticking close by even as a big fight broke out. He didn't necessarily dislike the mage but her inability make effective decisions during fights made him a bit irritated. He would never tell her that, of course not- he wasn't suicidal, but he felt that she wouldn't be able to hold him up if he came crashing down.

That's why he now felt so out of his element. His body, his senses told him that this woman he had not even seen once was the one, while his heart yearned for the safety of family –the stability of his pack. As he stepped through the doors of the inn Natsu felt his senses overload. The scent was so strong. Her presence seemed to be everywhere. He could feel her heartbeat quicken and he felt her body respond to his close proximity.

Natsu shook himself out of his daydreaming and he began to go through the files at the desk after checking in on the chef that was running around the kitchen preparing food for the inn's customers. Natsu was checking on the number of occupied rooms and the rooms that would be vacated that day and thus had to be cleaned for the next guest when he saw the log book.

He dropped the paper he had been reading to the table and picked up the book from the desk. He scanned the latest page and his eyes settled on the last name that had been written there. Alexa La Muerte. His breath hitched. In the back of his head, he could feel something screaming to be set free. Natsu however, could barely breathe. Alexa. That was her name. The person he could feel and sense. Before he realized he heard someone walk down the stairs.

The spell of the beautiful cursive handwriting spelling out an equally beautifully name being broken he set the book down and turned his attention back to the papers spread out before him. The glanced at the clock which read 6.10. So whoever was walking around wasn't one of his teammates. Suddenly his nose was assaulted once again. The scent that he had been smelling all the while was now stronger than ever. The steps came closer and Natsu felt himself freeze as he sensed that presence so close to him.

FAIRY TAIL

Lexa was pulled from her deep slumber by something. It felt like her whole body was suddenly extra sensitive and hot and she shot up as she felt a strange tug at her heart. She had been feeling strange the day before but among all of her stress and tiredness from traveling had clouded the feeling. Now that she was awake she was able to get a better understanding of the strange feeling. She swung her legs over the edge of her bed and stood up.

Making her way over to the bathroom she washed her face and glanced down to her light-skinned long fingers most suited to playing piano or a violin. Drying off she changed her clothes to what she had been wearing the previous day though she left her heavy fur-lined coat where it rested. It was quite heavy and while weather had been getting chillier it was very warm inside. Lexa had no intention of going outside so she slipped on a pair of black flats to cover her feet and quickly brushed her long hair. She left it undone, not feeling like doing a complicated side braid or her normal braid that put a strain on her arms.

As she moved about her room she concentrated on the strange feeling that seemed to be calling for her. Encouraged by the feeling pulling her she grabbed a bit of money for breakfast and her room key before stepping outside. It was a little over six as she started to make her way down the staircase. She was on the first floor when the sensation of being home flooded her senses. It suddenly felt safe and warm. She could feel the source one floor below her so she continued down.

When she came down to the staircase that led into the lobby she could finally pinpoint the source of the feeling. Her attention was drawn to the person sitting at the reception desk. He had pink hair that stuck out quite a bit in Lexa's mind. His olive green eyes were scanning over some papers before he stopped and turned to face her. The young man stood up slowly and Lexa scanned his body on instinct. A muscular body, nicely tanned skin, dressed black and white uniform of the hotel staff –except that he was wearing a white scaly looking scarf around his neck.

Natsu heard the steps stop at the top of the staircase all of his instincts screamed for him to look up. And so he did. He was met with a view that made his heart skip a beat. A young woman, probably around his own age- 18, was standing there. She was dressed in black clothing and her long dark reddish brown hair flowed down her back in shiny waves. Her light but not pale skin reflecting the colors of the sunrise. Her body even more shapely than Lucy's making his throat go dry. And her eyes. Those curious sky blue eyes that were flecked with dark blue and light blue. He felt the need to stand up like was presenting himself –seeking her approval. He didn't know why but he obeyed his instincts that had got him this far. Their eyes locked and for a brief moment, nothing else existed.

Then Alexa took a step and started to approach Natsu. He could only stare as a gentle smile settled on her lips. This boy made her feel safe –warm. He made her feel like she was finally home. She walked all the way down and they stood there neither of them wanting to break whatever was going on. They basked in each other's presence and felt their magic reaching out. The warmth reached through their bodies as they stayed there, waiting for something.

Alexa suddenly reached out a hand and Natsu grasped it. The feeling intensified and then faded so that they could finally think logically.

"My names Alexa La Muerte." She offered a dazzling smile –a genuine smile she hadn't allowed to slip upon her face for over a decade.

"I'm Natsu. Natsu Dragneel, a Fairy Tail wizard." He told her also smiling as the feeling of being completely washed over him before disappearing. He knew full well that the feeling of being empty would be strong until Alexa was his mate. Until then her presence was the only thing that could soothe the burning anguish that would form in his heart if she was too far away. They let their hands separate but kept their eyes locked.

"Say, would you like to join me for breakfast?" Alexa asked with a small blush.

Natsu was ecstatic and so was his stomach. He had forgotten to eat breakfast as he had left still drunk on her presence. Now the hunger made itself known. At the sound of rumbling both Natsu and Alexa burst out laughing.

"If you wouldn't mind the company then yeah, I think I should probably grab something." He told her and they started to walk to the kitchen/restaurant area. They sat down on a table next to the window that offered an amazing view of the cities soon the be bustling streets. One of the three waiters came to their table and offered a menu list for both of them.

Natsu scanned through it and made a mental note on what he was ordering while Alexa was already setting down her menu. As the waiter came back they both ordered and as the wait started the conversation picked back up.

"So you're a Fairy Tail wizard?" Alexa asked as she settled more comfortably in her chair.

"Yeah. My team and I are keeping this place up and running until the innkeeper and his two daughters come back from their vacation to manage things." Natsu told her as he leaned his elbows on the table.

"What about you? What brings you to Magnolia?" Natsu asked her and Alexa looked startled for a moment.

"Well, I had a job but more than that I just came here to relax for a few days." She explained.

"A job? Must pay well if you can afford the most expensive room in this place."

"Not really. This one is pretty small, just go to some party and guard some treasure. It pays well yeah but it's not exactly exciting." She told him and sighed. It really wasn't a job she would normally take but this one just somehow caught her attention so here she was. Besides, it was fine she had several days just to relax.

"You never know. It could be really badass if someone like a wizard did try to steal it." Natsu said with a smirk.

"Don't jinx me!" She exclaimed with a pout. And then they were once again laughing. The waitress smiled as he returned with their food and set it on their table. There was a lot of it. Natsu hadn't really been paying attention to what Alexa had ordered but he was surprised to see that it was a lot more than he had expected.

"Wow, smells delicious." She commented as she dug into the pile of pancakes.

"You took the words out of my mouth. So time to fill it with something else." Natsu joked as he too started eating.

In the midst of their eating, they continued talking.

"So you're the famous Salamander, the fire dragon slayer of Fairy Tail?" Alexa asked as she finished her first plate of food.

"Yup, though the title doesn't really matter that much." Natsu replied as he drunk a glass of water.

"What about you? You're on a job so I'm guessing that you're a guild bound wizard?"

"Actually I'm not. I work as a part-timer of sorts. Because I haven't found the guild that I could really call home I've been on test periods in a lot of them." Alexa explained to her companion as she finished drinking a cup of tea. She couldn't really stomach coffee so tea was the next best thing to wake her up each morning.

"So you're looking for a guild to call your home?" Natsu had finished eating and was gazing at her with a determined look.

"Yeah. I think I've been looking for something to call my family for some time now." She told him avoiding his piercing gaze.

"Then how about you join Fairy Tail?" Natsu asked and Alexa raised her gaze to meet his in a hurried motion.

"You think I should?" She asked but Natsu could see the hope in her eyes.

"Yeah! And if you aren't sure yet you could just come and hang out and do a few jobs with us before you decide if you wanna join. We could go right now!" He told her giving her a bright grin.

She looked at his face and found no lies or deceit there. She had dealt with a quite bit of that in her life so she knew if someone was lying. Natsu wasn't lying. Alexa was struck by the pureness of the dragon slayer sitting before her. She had heard of his heroic tales and the rumors spoke of a brave flame mage. She could see why young children looked up to him. He truly was a person willing to do anything for those he cared about. Alexa could only wonder if one day she could belong to the list of people he considered his family. She blushed and nodded her head.

"Okay. I'll come with you!" Natsu and Alexa felt their hearts beat in the same rhythm as they stood up both of them depositing half of the money on the table as they left the restaurant. As they exited the inn Natsu offered his hand to her, like he had done with Lucy. This time he didn't have to take her forcefully with him. She was already reaching out to him. They joined hands and raced to the guild.

 **A/N**

 **I'm being super nice and giving you another chapter just because I feel like I owe that to myself. Things are going to be fast moving for the first five chapters or so and then a bit of calm where I develop these characters and then we are going full steam ahead.**

 **I'm not a native English speaker so grammar here and grammar there.**

 **Reviews are greatly appreciated.**

 **Any suggestions are welcome, please message me for ideas or things that you would like to see in this story. I will make some kind of spinoff since there's so much that I cannot include in the story since I don't want to make an already complicated plot too complicated.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Welcome to Fairy Tail!

Alexa laughed as she and Natsu burst through the doors of the Fairy Tail guild hall. They had taken a detour and before either of them noticed it was already sunset. Natsu had shown her the best sights around Magnolia including the cathedral and the famous cherry tree that was said to change colors. At some point, they had gone to eat again, this time by the river that ran through Magnolia and they had discussed a lot of things.

Natsu had told her about his childhood, how he had found Fairy Tail in his darkest hour and how he had become family with them. He had told her about his teammates and their adventures. She in return told him about her. She told him how she had lost her family when she was no older than five and that she had been wondering ever since, never really settling down anywhere since she didn't feel comfortable anywhere.

Now they entered the guild hall while laughing, hand in hand. She couldn't care less as she leaned against his shoulder while gasping for air. The guilds own noise came to a stop as everyone's eyes widened. Lucy, Erza and Gary were there as well having handed the report back to the inn manager earlier that afternoon. They had been mildly concerned when Natsu hadn't come to work and even more so when they found from Happy that he had come to work but had left at some point when the feline had gone to eat.

Now they all stared at the laughing couple in the doorway. Lucy felt a stab of jealousy as she watched how the brunette leaned on Natsu's shoulder and held his hand. Natsu wasn't fairing much better since he was laughing just as hard clutching the railing of the stairs to keep them both from falling down.

"What is the meaning of this racket?" Makarov asked as he came down to see the cause of the disturbance.

"Ask Natsu that, master. He just showed up with that chick laughing like an idiot." Gray said from where he was sitting.

Makarov narrowed his eyes at Gray's tone and turned his gaze to Natsu and the girl he had with him. Makarov paled slightly as he felt a wave of soul magic hit him. He knew that none of the others could feel what he just felt. It was the power that two soul bonded people emitted, he had felt a similar power when Gejeel and Levy and met for the first time and suspected that Gray and Juvia shared this bond as well. There were multiple people in the world with soul bonds as far as Makarov knew but what he was sensing from Natsu and the brunette girl was the strongest he had ever felt.

Makarov smiled as the warm feeling of the couples forming bond brushed over his mind. It would take some time before it was fully matured but when it did become complete it would be one of the most beautiful things in the world.

"Welcome to Fairy Tail child. What's your name?" Makarov asked as he stepped closer to the newcomer since her laughter had faded into small giggles. She pulled herself straighter separating from Natsu as she lowered herself to his level.

"My names Alexa La Muerte." She answered and extended her hand to Makarov.

"And I'm the guild master of Fairy Tail, Makarov." He answered back and shook her hand.

"Are you joining?" Asked Mirajane who walked over to the small group.

"I'm not sure yet. Most likely yes, but I would like to just go on a few jobs and just generally hang out until I can say for sure." Mirajane nodded in approval.

"Just come and find me when you feel like joining and I'll give you the guild emblem." Alexa smiled and nodded.

"Until she's a full-fledged member someone has to watch her and go on jobs with her. And since it was you who brought her here, Natsu, you'll responsible for her safety." Alexa laughed as Natsu stared at the master with a shocked look.

"Oh, come now, it'll be so much fun!" Alexa exclaimed. Natsu looked at her and grinned while blushing slightly at her excited smile.

"Yeah, it's gonna be great. Nice to work with you miss La Muerte." He said in a teasing manner and extended his hand to her.

"The pleasure is mine, mister Dragneel." She responded as she grasped his hand and shook it.

They smiled as once again the feeling of being whole washed over them.

FAIRY TAIL

Natsu and Happy were waiting by the guild halls doors for Alexa. Natsu was still a bit giddy from the previous day. He had never before been on a date but he would bet his scarf that the whole yesterday experience had been one big date. He smiled at the memory of Alexa taking his hand as they ran to the guild hall after realizing how late it was. Her hands had been soft and small compared to his. A warm feeling spread in his gut as he thought about the energetic girl.

In many ways they were similar. They had both lost on family and had searched high and low for another. During their journey, they had faced all kinds of situations –not that Alexa had told him anything really dark or otherwise depressing the day before but he could see it in the way her eyes searched around her. She was always looking for something and Natsu knew that you weren't that paranoid if your life had been all sunshine and flowers. He was broken out of his thoughts as Happy once again teased him.

"So, thinking about your girlfriend?" The exceed asked in a sly tone.

"Fuck off! She isn't my girlfriend. Just a new friend, okay?" He wasn't lying about the part of her being friend however, he had admitted to himself that if what he and Alexa were feeling toward each other they would surely become mates in no time. It was after all the nature of dragons to mate as soon as they could to ensure the continuation of their bloodline. Not that Natsu was thinking about having a family with Alexa but…

"So you say, but you're blushing." Happy teased –the annoying little shit that he was.

"Shut it." Natsu told him and turned his face away trying to hide the blush.

It was then that once again he smelled that sweet scent so clearly. It beckoned him and he turned to face the approaching wizard. This time she had donned her red, black fur-lined coat. They were going out to do a job. Natsu pulled a paper from his pocket and handed the folded paper to Alexa as they exchanged good mornings.

"So it's a big bad monster trio in the mountains, and apparently they aren't Vulcans?" She asked as she handed to flier back and they started to the mountains. Happy had been ordered to stay behind since he would be defenseless in the harsh terrain since he couldn't fly because of the strong winds.

"Basically. There wasn't any other information. This could get really tricky but there's big reward as thanks." Natsu beamed at her as they walked away from the city.

"Yeah, 500,000 jewels. That's 250,000 for both of us. It's quite a lot if they were easy to beat so I'm guessing it's not that easy." Alexa commented.

"Nothing's ever easy around here! If something was easy and everything went according to plan-A all the time it would be really boring." Natsu grinned as he saw her smile back.

"That's true. I hate when things stand still. So let's get a move on." She replied.

"Aye, sir."

FAIRY TAIL

They had reached the designated area and were searching for the monsters that were supposed to be there. Natsu couldn't smell anything and Alexa's senses that were fairly high didn't pick up anything either. They were about to set camp in a cave that they had found when the monster appeared from out of nowhere. The sun had just set so they were battling in almost complete darkness since the dark clouds laid there and the thick blizzard covered their vision. Hearing anything was almost impossible since the winds were blowing so hard.

Natsu took the one closest to him head-on, hands flaming as he attacked it. In such poor conditions Alexa could only make out the general shape of them and they looked like large leopard human hybrids. And when she said large it meant the size of a seven-story house. Natsu's attack was brushed aside and he hit the hard rock that had been rid of off snow in the strong winds.

Alexa turned her head sharply as she heard Natsu cry out in pain. She quickly threw up a five magic circle shield to hold the other two monsters at bay and directed a blast of dark energy toward the monster that had slammed Natsu into the hard surface. She didn't wait to see if the beam made contact as she teleported next to Natsu whose head was bleeding slightly. She cast a second barrier around them as she lifted him up.

"Are you alright Natsu?" She asked as she noticed the movement outside the barrier. The monster that she had hit was coming toward her for seconds. Natsu on the other hand, groaned as he was moved but slowly opened his eyes.

"I'm fine, just a bit disoriented." He responded as he slowly stood. His hands were alight once again and Alexa stood beside him as they readied to move.

"I'll destroy the barrier. It should make it disoriented for a few seconds. That's your change." The dragon slayer nodded and Alexa released the barrier, making it explode outward. As the beast was blinded for a few seconds Natsu attacked it.

" **Fire Dragon Iron Fist!"** Natsu yelled out.

" **Ether Magic: Second stage!"** Natsu blinked in amazement as his strength was doubled. The beast died the moment he hit it and the following explosion cleared the storm clouds away from the area. He landed and turned to face the two remaining monsters. With his boosted strength he took them down in mere seconds.

When the last monster was dead Natsu turned to face Alexa who gave a small smile. He was stunned to see that her right eye had become golden in color and her hair was streaked with gold and white on her right side.

"You alright Alexa?" He asked concerned.

"I'm fine. This is just temporary; it'll disappear in a few hours." She assured him.

He narrowed his gaze but seeing no hint of a lie he nodded and then motioned for her to come with him. They made their way into the cave they had been planning on staying in. As they settled in Alexa threw a barrier around them. It kept both of them warm and melted the ice form the cave floor allowing them to sleep on the rock surface rather than the ice it was before.

"So, barrier magic, teleportation and support magic?" Natsu asked as he lit a flame in his palm to warm them up. Alexa moved to sit next to him in order to keep warm.

"Well, primarily yes. I don't have strong offensive magic, but I can support attack types the best since I can increase several abilities at once." She explained leaning into his shoulder. Natsu glanced down at her and let a gentle smile settle on his lips.

"Well, it doesn't matter that you can't attack. Your defensive spells were amazing and the support skill… doubling my strength like that. That's unbelievable." He breathed out in respect. She really was skilled as a mage.

"Thank you. Usually, everyone complains about the fact that I'm not able to do more. But I'm happy that I could be useful." She said with a light blush covering her cheeks. She hoped that he wouldn't see it or would blame the fire for the strange light phenomenon. Natsu however, could tell with his extra sharp senses that she was blushing

"Those people are idiots. Your power makes you the perfect support mage. I mean, I usually just charge headfirst into danger without any protection and then me and my other friends come back to get our wounds healed and then we charge again. But having someone support us like you are able to, that will make a huge difference." Natsu told her and Alexa looked surprised. He was serious, he appreciated her powers and her as her own person. She smiled a genuine smile, gentle and kind.

"You really are the best comrade anyone could ask for, Natsu." She told him before leaning further into his shoulder and falling asleep. Natsu leaned back against the stone wall that had been warmed by his flame and the barrier and shut his eyes. He fell asleep listening to Alexa's calm breathing. The barrier shined brightly keeping the cold air and the beast lurking away from them as they slept.

FAIRY TAIL

When the morning came the two awoke slowly. Alexa yawned and rubbed her eyes tiredly and looked outside. It was now once again snowing. She glanced toward Natsu who she was still leaning against. He seemed to be sleeping calmly as Alexa blushed as she thought of his sleeping face as cute. That didn't change the fact that he really was cute when asleep. The frown lines had vanished and his usually sharp and mischievous smirk wasn't there to project any kind of image.

She was about to stand up when she saw him stir. Unconsciously he moved closer to her as if reaching out to her. Alexa smiled as she allowed his pink head to rest on her lap. His nose twitched cutely before he settled down. Alexa looked puzzled for a brief moment before recalling Natsu telling her that he had extremely sharp senses thanks to him being a dragon slayer. Apparently, he had calmed down after confirming that she was there. At the thought, Alexa blushed once more. It was becoming a permanent feature on her face. Not that she minded but come on. She was normally better at controlling her emotions. Then again she had grown abnormally close to the pink haired boy abnormally fast.

She still felt strange around him from time to time. It was like when Natsu and she were in sync she felt complete and when he wasn't there she felt so alone –like the other half of her was missing. As her thoughts wandered she combed the spiky pink hair with her fingers. It turned out to be surprisingly soft to her touch. She smiled to herself but it vanished as she heard the slight sound of discomfort. Alexa frowned and ran her hand in the same motion as moments before. There was a slight flinch as her fingers came close to his temple. She gently parted the hair and saw the wound. It wasn't that deep but it was quite long and wide.

Alexa laid her right hand above the wound before letting the magical energy flow to the wound. The warm golden glow slowly closed the wound and removed any dirt from it. She was so concentrated on her work that she didn't notice Natsu waking up.

Natsu felt himself waking up to a warm feeling. He was surrounded by Alexa's scent and that alone was a wonderful thing but there was also the warm feeling of magic gently washing over his head wound. He let his eyes stay closed as he enjoyed the feeling of being healed by such skillful fingers. When she was finished and she removed her hand he turned to look up at her. She seemed a bit startled but smiled at seeing awake.

"Morning." He said responding to her smile with one of his own.

"Morning to you too. Sleep well?" Alexa asked while leaning back as he slowly sat up.

"I'm good. You're a good healer. Didn't mention that yesterday." Natsu said while turning around so he was facing her.

"I did say I was a support mage. And besides, I can't really heal large wounds so for that part I'm useless. Small cuts and bruises sure but already those take quite a bit of concentration. I can't even imagine fixing a broken bone or a stab wound." She shuddered at the very thought of having to do such a large job.

"Yeah but healing is an impressive skill, no matter how small. I can't-do any healing magic at all so it's pretty impressive, to say the least." Natsu told her as he slowly stood up and checked the outside.

"We should get going." He told her while grabbing his pack and Alexia took the barrier down. They started their trek down the mountain but were forced to fight a group of Vulcans –around 70 of them. It wasn't particularly hard but it did take several hours as they ambushed several times and were driven off their course. It was already nightfall by the time they reached the town at the foot of the mountain. Both were quite exhausted by their journey so they decided to stay for the night.

The man at the inn's reception desk gave them a warm smile as they told him that they had taken the leopard monsters. He gave them a huge discount form the room that were staying. Natsu and Alexa trudged to the third-floor suite. There were two separate beds in a separate room form the living area then on the other side there was a bathroom.

"You wanna take the bathroom first?" Natsu asked as he set down his backpack.

"Sure. Just let me get a change of clothes. And no peeking, okay Salamander?" She told him before slipping into the bathroom. She ran a hot bath and slipped into the water and relaxed.

Meanwhile, Natsu stared at his own reflection in the mirror. He didn't know what it was but something seemed off to him. Giving himself a quick once over he made his way over to the living area and sat down to think. As he spends more and more time with Alexa he felt more and more connected to her. It was only a matter of time before one of the seasons, most likely the upcoming season in November would force his hand in the matter.

Dragon mating season was twice a year. First was in the spring or in the summer, usually in May. The other was in November. It was currently the first week of September so at best he had two months before his choices would be sealed. He could, of course, leave for the mating season but that would be painful for both him and the person who he had been bonding to –in this case, Alexa. And he didn't want her to suffer. But on the other hand, he didn't want to scare her either. As he pondered his choices he heard Alexa's voice.

"Natus, could you bring me a towel, I forgot to take it with me?" She asked and Natsu got up to retrieve it from on top of her bed.

"Yeah, sure." He made his way to the bathroom door and knocked. There was a slight splash and then footsteps as Alexa got out of the tub. She opened the door so that her head was in the crack but the rest of her body was hidden behind the door.

"Here." She seemed to be blushing slightly.

"Thanks." She grabbed the towel and closed the door.

Natsu felt himself blush as he heard her heart beat faster. He really wanted to curse his superior hearing at that moment. He made his way back to the living area. While passing the large mirror he thought that he could see the flash of sharp canines and crimson eyes but he shook it off and went to sit down.

Alexa for her part took in a few deep breaths. She felt like such an idiot, forgetting the damn towel and having to have your possible crush hand it to her as she hid behind a bloody door like some kind of goddamn virgin. Well, she was a virgin but that was beside the point. It was embarrassing. She could feel her cheeks become even redder. Curse her traitorous body.

She dried herself off and then got dressed. This time since she was sharing a room with a guy she decided to put on something a little more covering than a large t-shirt. She put on her underwear and then her long white nightgown. She stepped outside with her dirty clothes and packed them. She would clean them after she finally joined Fairy Tail and got a real place to live.

She was already certain that she would join. She had felt the kindness and the bonds of the guild after the first brief visit. And even if she hadn't she would stay for Natsu. Alexa had finally found someone who completed her and she wasn't about to let that go. If that meant joining a guild she would do it without hesitation.

After packing she made her way to the living area where Natsu was sitting with his elbows placed on his knees. He was looking into space with a vacant look. She made her way to his line of vision and sat down as well. It took almost half an hour before he seemed to come back to himself.

Natsu glanced at Alexa who was sitting in one of the armchairs, one hand resting on the armrest while the other was flipping through a book he hadn't seen before. He stood up and made his way to the window. Staring into the night sky he heard a sigh from behind him.

"You okay Natsu?" There was worry in that voice.

"I'm okay. Just…thinking." He answered and he could hear Alexa resuming the flipping of pages.

"Wanna tell me?" She asked and he turned his gaze away from the moon that shone in the dark sky. He smiled gently when she raised her gaze to look.

"Not yet, but soon. Deal?"

Alexa looked at the boy, no young man. His gaze seemed content, happy with the present. It didn't seem like the end of the world was coming so she allowed it to slip.

"You don't have to tell me, but you can if you feel like it." She said out loud and was rewarded with a grin.

"Thanks. I think I'll go take a bath myself."

"Yeah, sure. There should be quite a bit of hot water left." Alexa turned back to her book which was actually her dad's diary. It had become a habit for her to read through it every now and then, just to remind herself that there is a story to her, a reason why she is where she is now.

Natsu made his way to the bedroom where the adjoined bathroom was but turned back to look at the beautiful being. She didn't realize it but she was sitting so that moonlight reflected onto her form the window making her shine in a divine way. As Natsu turned away his breath froze for a split second. Instead of an old dark brown book, there was a reddish brown book in her hands with the letters E.N.D. on the cover. Then the image was gone. The chill that went down his spine was still there and even as he slipped into the warm bath he couldn't rid himself of the strange feeling that had nothing to do with Alexa.

After he got out of the bathroom he saw that Alexa was sitting on the edge of her bed putting the book back into her bag. He walked over to his own bed and climbed under the covers. She did the same after shutting off the lights.

"Good night Natsu." She told him and in the dark Natsu saw her smile at him and he smiled back.

"Night Alexa." They fell asleep smiling all of the bad memories forgotten in that moment of peace.

 **A/N**

 **So here's chapter 3!**

 **Like always, reviews are appreciated and welcomed.**

 **Forgive my grammar mistakes since I am not an English speaker by nature. # sounded really strange to my ears.**

 **Anyway, as you can see we are getting into the main point of this story; the past that is haunting these people -Alexa had her parents killed, Natsu is struggling with the fact that Zeref was his brother AND the fact that he's E.N.D. There's so much to write here, I mean I just got chapter 8 finished and I'm halfway done with chapter 9. It's gonna be a long ride since they aren't even mated yet and I have just introduced the new big bad and JESUS. This is a large project. A lot bigger than I had planned but that's what I get charging in with a complicated plot and a lot of different ideas.**

 **Thanks for reading! And again, I would love some reviews! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: We don't fall, we crash

Natsu was the first wake up the following morning. He got up and dressed himself in his black one armed long-tailed coat, white pants, and sandals. He glanced at the sleeping Alexa and allowed himself to just watch her for a few minutes. She was sleeping with a small smile onf her lips that Natsu found himself mirroring.

Shaking the mental images away he walked quietly to the living area and closed the bedroom door. He called the room service and ordered both of them an extra-large breakfast, which basically was the whole breakfast menu times two.

As he waited for the breakfast to come Natsu slipped back into the bedroom. He had felt Alexa stir as he had been ordering food and as he laid his eyes on support mage he saw her slowly open her sky blue eyes. Natsu leaned into the door frame and watched as she sat up. She looked around and visibly tensed when she spotted the empty bed. When her eyes settled on Natsu in the doorway she relaxed again.

"Morning. I ordered some food for us."

"Thank the heavens. I'm starving." She exclaimed. They hadn't eaten in almost two days. Since they had never anticipated they would be stuck on the mountain for one night they hadn't packed any food with them. Natsu chuckled at her grateful voice.

"I'll go wait for the food. You should probably change."

"What? Don't you wanna admire my body as I walk around in my nightgown?" She teased and Natsu blushed crimson.

"O-of course not!" He turned his head away while stuttering. Alexa laughed at his antics but got up nonetheless.

"So you're gonna go wait for the food or would eye candy satisfy you?" Natsu swore that his whole body was flushed red as he stormed out of the room. He could hear the laughing from the other side of the door that he had slammed shut.

FAIRY TAIL

After eating they made their way to the next town over. They walked in the rough terrain helping each other fault over cliffs and cross rivers. Natsu was grateful that even though it would have been much easier and faster to go by train Alexa had insisted that they go by foot. He wouldn't have minded a bit of motion sickness but she had insisted that if he felt bad then he shouldn't force himself.

It took them about five hours to reach the next town where the monster contract issuer was living. They ended up in the richer part of the small town where they found the man. As they knocked on the door it was soon opened by an elderly woman who smiled as she saw the Fairy Tail symbol on Natsu's arm and invited them in. She then guided them to the study where an elderly man sat next to the fireplace.

"I'm Alexa and this here is Natsu from Fairy Tail."

"My name is John Alcreviz. You have completed the contract?" He guessed upon seeing the emblem as well.

"Yes, all three monster have been eradicated. Also, we took down the local Vulcan population while coming down the mountain." Alexa explained.

"Thank you, those monster have been a pain to deal with. Mary will give your reward when you leave tomorrow morning." The man told them.

"Tomorrow?" Natsu asked.

"You'll be staying the night as thanks for helping us." Alexa bowed to the man while Natsu just smirked.

"We appreciate your hospitality, thank you for having us."

"No need for thanks. Now I'm sure that you would enjoy a hot bath and a nice meal. Mary, show them to their room." The old man smiled gently as he saw the young pair blush. The pair went with his wife as she led them upstairs to the large guestroom.

John leaned back in his chair, relaxing the sensation of the soul bond shimmering in the air. He and his wife had once been quite well-known mages from a guild that had long since disbanded. They had met and soon after gotten married. They had only later learned of soul bonds and their meaning. After a lot of research on the subject, both John and Mary had become able to sense the invisible bonds that bound people together. It was a rare skill but they had helped several young couples find their way. This one would no exception. He could tell that the pair was close and that they could feel the bond forming day by day, which made their tasks easier. Just give them time to develop those feelings.

Natsu sighed as once again the two were sharing a room. Alexa had gone to take a shower since she didn't want use all of the hot water that the old couple had. Natsu himself was more or less stumped. They could have reached Magnolia by midnight f they had left but now they were apparently spending the night. Not that he was complaining but it was taking a long time to get back to the guild.

Alexa stepped out of the bathroom then, clad in her nightgown. She sat down across from him on an armchair. Natsu looked at her as she brushed her still damp hair. As she flipped the hair back she seemed to shiver and he could see the water droplets flow down her back as she leaned forward to deposit the brush on the table between them.

"Want me to dry your hair?" He asked and blushed at having asked it soon after.

Alexa looked up in surprise but nodded all the same. "Sure. Thanks."

Natsu got up and made his way behind her. He ran his fingers through her thick locks and heated them up with his magic. Gliding his hands along her scalp he was surprised to see her lean back into the touch. He blushed at the thought and continued to dry her.

"Hey, Natsu?"

"Yeah?" He responded never stopping drying her hair.

"Have you… been feeling strange?" Natsu was surprised by the question.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean have you been feeling like half of you is missing and then suddenly you're whole again?" Natsu gulped. Here it was. He had been praying for a little bit of more time but it seemed that fate wasn't planning on it.

"Yeah."

"You have? Does it happen you're around me?" She turned her head to look back at him. He lowered his gaze and nodded. Her eyes widened.

"Do you know what it means?" Her voice laced with confusion but Natsu couldn't detect a hint of fear or anger in her voice or in the way she sat.

"I have a good guess but I'm not really sure." He answered.

"Tell me, please Natsu. I want to understand this feeling." She asked and Natsu couldn't deny her.

He let her hair fall back down and sat on the sofa facing her. He looked into her curious blue eyes and suddenly felt the same feeling wash over him. The feeling of being complete. The feeling of being home. He could see the way that she relaxed that she felt it as well. He cleared his throat trying to find the words to explain it.

"You know that I was raised by Igneel and I got my dragon slayer magic and heightened senses. What I didn't tell you was that I also inherited the instincts of a dragon in certain aspects. One of them is seeking out the person who most completes me and then mating with them." He was blushing by the end.

"So I'm the person that you chose?" She asked stunned.

"Well, I wouldn't say choose, since the dragons mate selection is based on soul bonds which exist the moment a person is born. Basically, even if I wasn't a dragon slayer we would have been bonded thought the effects are most likely amplified by my dragon heritage."

Alexa gazed into his eyes trying to find lies and deceit there. Nothing. Natsu was telling her the absolute truth. Her gaze softened.

"I want to be your mate." Natsu looked at her and felt his mouth fall open in shock.

"Not right now, obviously but the way I feel toward you… it's not horrible. It feels like I'm home and that's what I've been searching for." Alexa explained.

"I like you. And you wanting to make me your mate, that makes me happy. No one has ever told me that I'm useful, they called a burden. To think that you would offer to be with me… that's a really big thing."

"Are…are you sure? I mean I like you too and I like spending time with you so…" Alexa just nodded.

"Well then. Alexa La Muerte, would you like to be my girlfriend?" He asked her with a small, uncertain smile.

"Yes, I would love to be your girlfriend." Natsu grinned and blushed and Alexa followed suite.

FAIRY TAIL

The next morning the pair collected their reward and begun their trip back to Magnolia. After becoming an official couple, they had talked for a while. Natsu had told Alexa some things about dragon mating –when it would be and what mating meant for them.

"So just to recap quickly, when you enter heat you'll claim me and place a mark on my body. The mark will only fade if you erase it yourself and after that each time you enter heat I'll be the only one that you'll desire."

"Basically, yeah." He was blushing crimson the whole time while Alexa barely blushed.

"What about children?" Natsu almost tripped over a root.

"What about them?"

"Well, you did say that your instinct was to continue your bloodline so that means having children. So what are the changes?" She was intrigued. She had always thought that starting a family was still ways off for her but apparently that assumption had been wrong. Not that she really minded.

"Okay, what I know is pretty limited on the subject but… apparently, there's a really high change for you to become pregnant during my heat since it's like a sex marathon." This time Alexa was the one to trip.

Natsu caught her and steadied her as she rose to her feet. Alexa smiled gratefully and gripped his arm in support as they made their way over the rough terrain.

"Okay, so kids are definitely a part of our near future." Alexa concluded as they reached the main road that lead to Magnolia.

"Yeah, if not already in two months then within the next year or so." The pink haired mage told her as they walked hand in hand.

"You cool with that?" He asked her after a minute of just walking quietly.

"It's kind of fast but… I feel like this isn't some fling, so I'm happy. We have to go on dates you know, more often than other couples." She teased.

"If you want to… sure. We should get to know each other better."

Alexa smiled and leaned her shorter frame against him. She could feel the heat of his fire warming her skin and she laid a kiss on the bare shoulder that held the guild mark. She glanced up to see Natsu looking at her with a shocked and a questioning look on his face.

"It's funny for you to say that since it feels like I've known you my whole life. Like I've always somewhere deep sown know that you were out here and we've just been waiting to meet."

Natsu leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I feel the same." He told her and they both shared a happy smile.

FAIRY TAIL

Erza had been enjoying a relatively silent day at the guild. Ever since Natsu had taken the new recruit out for a mission the guild had been quite calm. She was enjoying a slice of her favorite strawberry cake when she was joined by Lucy and Gray.

"So Natsu and that chick back jet?" Gary asked once they had sat down.

"No. The job wasn't that far away so they should have been back the day after they left." Erza replied while taking a piece of her cake.

"I'm a bit worried. They've been gone for five days now." Lucy said a with a frown on her face.

"Yeah and we know next to nothing about this, what's her name…"

"Alexa." Lucy supplied.

"Her. I mean she could be a spy or an assassin for all we know!" Gray exclaimed drawing a few looks from the others close to them.

"Natsu is a real MAN! He can take care of himself." Lucy sweat dropped as the Strauss siblings joined them.

"I'm sure that Natsu and Alexa are both alright." Lisanna assured them as she sat down next to Lucy.

"Sorry, it's just that I worry. I mean, we don't even know their magic is compatible. It could end badly if they can't work together." Lucy fretted. Mira patted her on the back as she sat on Lucy's other side.

"I'll let you in on what Master Makarov told me after seeing Alexa. He said that her powers were quite extensive and that from what he could see the two were a pretty good match, at least magic vice." Lucy relaxed slightly after hearing that the Master believed that there was no need to worry about the two mages.

It was then as the group began to chat and gossip that the doors of the guild hall opened. Or more like they were blown off their hinges. In walked the mages who had just been discussed, hand in hand smiling and laughing gently.

Makarov watched as the two entered and felt the bond that seemed to warp the two. As the Master of the most destructive guild, Makarov had seen quite a bit in his life, but love was always something that warmed his heart. Seeing the young couple that he knew to have accepted their love made him smile. This was what he wanted for his children –happiness. And as he watched Alexa laugh he could see her as one of his precious children. She would fit right in.

"Welcome back, how did it go?" Mira asked as she saw the two walk in.

"Went off without a hitch." Natsu replied as he walked to the bar.

"Got the guild stamp somewhere Mira?" He asked as she followed them.

"Yeah, just a sec." She fished the stamp from under the bar disk.

"So you decided to join?" Erza asked as she saw the stamp that Mira held in the air.

The rest of the guild heard her and they turned to see the emblem placement.

"Yeah, decided that this place seemed like fun." Alexa told her.

"What color do you want and where do you want the emblem?" Mira asked and Alexa paused for a few seconds. She then saw Natsu standing in her line of sight. He was looking at her with a happy and content expression. She was whole once again.

"Right shoulder, red if you will." She told Mira but looked Natsu dead in the eye as she said so. No one could mistake her words.

" _Like his mark."_

Mira looked surprised and then smiled at both Natsu who was now blushing and at Alexa who was smirking at Natsu. She placed the emblem on the brunette's shoulder and as she took it off she saw the Fairy Tail emblem that rested there. Just like Natsu's.

Alexa nodded gratefully to Mira and then smirked at the still blushing Natsu who was being called out by the guys for "stealing the chick that had big tits and a nice ass before anyone could even talk to her." Natsu shouted insults back at them all the while blushing crimson. The feeling of fondness that rose in her chest was undeniable. She loved this man. And if he wanted she would bear his children right now.

FAIRY TAIL

"Hey, Alexa! Over here, come join us!" Lucy called out as she saw the new recruit talking with Natsu.

Lucy felt her heart skip a beat as the blue-eyed beauty turned to her. She could see why Natsu seemed so taken with her. She was absolutely gorgeous. Her large chest that put Lucy herself to shame and the behind to match. Her tiny waist and her long legs and nimble fingers. The red full lips and the expressive deep, sky blue eyes surrounded by long black eyelashes mixed with her dark reddish brown hair cascading down her back in gentle waves.

As she smiled and turned to walk to their table Lucy felt a sense of calm sweep over her being. It seemed like she was being warped in a cocoon of warmth and safety that seemed to surround Alexa. Despite feeling quite outdone by the new girl, Lucy smiled at the warm feeling. This person would fit right in with the rest of the guild.

"We already met, but my name's Lucy! And here's Gray and Erza and the Strauss siblings: Mirajane, Lisanna, and Elfman. Also...over there's our sky dragon slyer Wendy and her companion Charle. There's Levy and…" The celestial mage introduced the people sitting all around the guild hall and all hearing their name being mentioned raised a hand or shouted a greeting.

Charle was lost in thought as she looked at the newcomer. Ever since she had stepped through the doors of the guild hall Charle had had a strange feeling. She was afraid that something bad would happen now that this new girl was here since everything bad in the world seemed to happen to the number one guild of Fiore.

FAIRY TAIL

"Hey Alexa, want to go for a round?" The brunette turned to the asker who happened to be Lisanna.

"A fight?"

"Yeah, Natsu said that you were pretty amazing on your mission so I was wondering if you would fight me or maybe Elfman so that everyone could see your magic in action and you could team up with someone." Lisanna explained remembering Natsu mentioning that Alexa had saved him with some kind of magic although he wasn't specific.

"You and Elfman. Also, throw in Mira and it's a party." Alexa replied with a smirk that reminded Lisanna of Natsu.

"Are you sure? Mira's quite powerful even though she looks really sweet." Lisanna tried to reason fearing for the recruit's life.

"I'm sure." She replied with the same smirk on her face.

"Okay, let's go to the training area." Lisanna lead her there and the rest of the guild followed wanting to see the fight. Natsu stood to the side lines, but while everyone betted on the Strauss sibling winning and made their way to stand closer to them to be save from Mira's magic, Natsu made his way to stand closer to Alexa, knowing that it was safer there than anywhere else.

"I and all the S-class mages will step in if one of the participants is about to die or be permanently injured. Other than that no one will interrupt this fight." Makarov told them as she took his position on the side as well.

"BEGIN!" Mira charged as soon as the words left her Masters' mouth.

" **Satan's soul, Demon blast!"**

" **Ether magic, first stage!"** Her whole body glowed golden as her defensive powers increased. **"Fifth shield!"**

Mira's attack was stopped by a golden shield that had appeared around Alexa. Before the takeover mage had a change to attack again Alexa attacked her. **"Nether magic, soul destruction!"** A huge burst of black magic headed toward Mira but was intercepted by Elfman in his takeover lizard form. He was knocked out and flew several hundred feet before landing back on the ground creating a crater where he hit the dirt.

Wendy rushed over where the defeated man lay and made a big "x" with her hands showing that Elfman was out. Mira charged again this time with Lisanna in tow. **"Satanic Blast!"**

" **Ether magic, third stage!"** The support mage dodged the incoming blast and watched as a huge pillar of demonic energy swirled where she had stood just seconds ago. With her increased speed. she dodged an incoming attack from Lisanna and launched a spell toward her. **"Ether magic: Exploding light orb!"** Lisanna was instantly trapped inside the orb and it exploded soon after. The youngest Strauss sibling with the ground with a loud thud. Again one of the guildmates quickly retrieved the fallen mage from the ground while making an "x" sign showing that Lisanna too was out of the fight.

"You're pretty good but you can't keep dodging me forever!" Mira shouted as her hand to hand approach failed her due to Alexa's increased speed and teleportation abilities.

"I will end this little match right now! **Soul Extinction!** " Mira shouted as a deadly charge of black, demonic energy headed toward Alexa. Makarov made to take a step forward until he saw that Natsu was still just standing there.

After the war with the empire, Makarov had appointed Natsu as an S-class mage along with Gray. So Natsu was someone who could intervene in the fight if it seemed like someone was going to be hurt badly. But seeing him stand there with a slight smirk on his face Makarov also turned his head toward the sky.

Alexa felt Natsu gazing at her. She knew that he had fate in her and so she smiled and turned to wink at him. His grin widened as she allowed her magical powers to flare and she turned back to face the oncoming blast head-on.

" **Seventh shield!"** The golden orb formed around her and the blast was negated. Mira stared in awe as the golden orb was revealed to have negated the blast. She changed her takeover. **"Satan Soul: Seilah!"**

"Well, you're going all out aren't you?" Alexa asked and then countered with a spell of her own. **"Ether magic; First form; Seraphim!"** Her hair became streaked with gold and silver and her eyes became golden. Her clothes we transformed into white and she grew a pair of golden wings from her back. **"Unleash!"** A golden orb formed in her hand then charged at Mirajane. Mira dodged and soon the two circled around each other as they fought in the sky.

"Enough! **Satan soul: Algeria!** " Alexa teleported several hundred yards away as Mira charged at her.

"Close combat. That's a pain." Alexa muttered and then formed a shield as Mira came at her. **"Seventh Shield!"** Alexa saw the crack appear in her shield as the fist collided with it and teleported again. The shield shattered under the power of Mirajane's attack. Floating in the air Alexa looked down to see Mira ready for another attack.

"Fine, let's go! **Nether magic: First form: Powers!** " Her outfit turned back to black and her wings grew darker until they were black. Her eyes also turned violet and her hair became black. She charged at Mira and the two collided and then engaged in hand to hand. They were equally matched before Alexa went for the jugular. **"Nether magic: Second form: Dominion!"** No one got a good look at her new form before she teleported and then dispatched Mira. The takeover mage lay in the ground with severe but not life-threatening wounds.

Alexa set down on the ground and her black wings and aura of death disappeared from around her. Natsu made his way to her and kissed her cheek all the while grinning like a madman. "You were so amazing out there! Who the hell said that you are a shitty offensive magic user should've seen that."

"That was amazing!"

"How the hell did you do that?!"

"You're awesome!"

Alexa looked a bit stunned as the questions and the compliments rained down. She turned to she Natsu smiling happily and she turned her attention to Mira and the siblings that were being tended to. They were all still out cold and badly hurt but alive and not permanently harmed.

"You've proven yourself most cable. Welcome to Fairy Tail, Alexa!" Makarov said and all cheered.

Alexa grinned at the faces before her. She was finally home and this time she was seen as someone useful. She was happy in that moment. Being surrounded by these people she now could call a family.

"I'm home."

 **A/N**

 **Hey! I'm back and better than ever... not really. So this is the fourth chapter, basically third but who's counting? So now Alexa is a part of the family, YAY! I'm currently writing chapter 12 and have planned out the chapters 13 and 14, depending on how many POV's I put in there. I have a rough draft of the whole story, but the final length is very much a mystery to me. Also, a lot of new characters will be introduced, however, there are only a few that you need to care about. The rest you can basically just skip if they aren't interesting to you. I just have a lot of ideas and my mood is like a switch that keeps flipping on and off, so my writing style changes -the words I use change. Everything will change! :D  
**

 **So reviews are appreciated and very much welcome. :)**

 **Forgive my grammar errors, I'm not a native English speaker.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N**

 **Please read the notes at the very bottom -new information regarding updates etc.**

Chapter 5: Team Natsu

"That fight was absolutely amazing!" Lucy exclaimed after the whole guild returned indoors and Erza, Wendy, Gray and herself had sat down on one of the tables.

"She's extremely good. To be able to best Mira, she might very well be a better fighter than me." Erza told to the group while thinking of Alexa. The brunette had appeared completely unharmed after the fight and had gone with the master and Natsu to talk about something.

"I'll say. She knocked Elfman and Lisanna out with one move and then went on par with Mira and wasn't even bruised. That's an S-class wizard right there." Gray commented while looking for Juvia with his gaze. The two had been going out for a few months after the war and were quite close. Erza saw his wandering gaze and smiled slightly.

Erza and Jellal had been meeting quite regularly after the Crime Sorciere and its members were pardoned because of their deeds. They were slowly progressing towards a relationship. Gajeel and Levy had been together before the war and afterward had gotten engaged. There had been a rumor going around about a baby. Elfman and Evergreen had begun to hang out and apparently they were planning on going on a date. Laxus and Mira had also been hanging out together a lot and seemed to be growing closer day by day. Erza was happy to see her family growing up and finding their place in the world.

Erza had been the most excited –besides her own relationship- about Natsu and Lucy who seemed to have grown closer. But then it never happened. They just stayed as good friends and while it seemed like Lucy would have wanted something more, Natsu had no intention of getting together with Lucy. Now the pink haired dragon slayer had found a girl that he seemed to like quite a bit considering how close the two had grown in only a little over a week. She just hoped that no one would feel left out, they were family after all.

FAIRY TAIL

"What did you want to talk to me about, Master?" Alexa asked as she and Natsu entered the guild masters office.

"I wanted to ask you about becoming an S-class mage." Makarov told her after the trio had sat down.

"Me, an S-class mage?"

"Yes. You already defeated Mirajane, who we consider to be one of the strongest and thus an S-class mage. It would be wrong for you to be ranked anything but S-class with your talent." Natsu was proudly grinning while Alexa looked stunned.

"In fact, I was considering giving you and team Natsu a special SS-class mission if you are feeling up to it."

Alexa glanced at Natsu who looked her in the eye and nodded with a happy grin on his face. "Sure, that's fine with me. So what kind of quest are we talking about?"

"We received an urgent request form a legacy family. They need us to seal a demonic spirit back into its resting place."

"A legacy family?" Natsu asked.

"It's a family that has been gathering knowledge, magical powers and rituals as well as ancient artifacts over multiple generations. They are quite wealthy so it should provide you with more than enough money." Natsu frowned hearing some hesitation in the guild masters voice.

"There's something you aren't telling us." He told Makarov and the old man looked up at the pair.

"This family has been guarding the demonic spirit for years. Their duty is to keep it from ever breaking out. However, the calamities of the recent years have weakened the seal and they need us to reseal it away. It's a difficult mission that will require you two to be in perfect sync and the rest of the team covering you while you perform a delicate sealing ritual." He explained and made his way to stand by the window overlooking Magnolia.

"Why us?" Alexa inquired feeling like there was still something he old master was refusing to tell them.

"Because you have a soul bond that is close to completion." The Master stated and turned to face the two once again.

"How the hell do you know about that?" Natsu asked not even trying to hide the surprise of the old man knowing.

"I've lived quite a while. It's easy to sense a bond once you know what one feels like." Alexa blushed and turned her head away a bit embarrassed that the Master was well aware of what was going on. It wasn't that she was embarrassed to be in a relationship with Natsu. She was embarrassed that he knew what was going to happen sooner or later.

"So you need our soul bond to seal the spirit away?" Natsu clarified.

"Yes. You are to leave with the team the first thing tomorrow. Head to the northern border to a town called Locus. When you arrive there you should ask for a family that is called Marquardt. They will explain what you must do."

"Understood Master."

FAIRY TAIL

"So where are we going again?" Lucy asked as she, Gray, Erza and Alexa waited for the salmon haired idiot to arrive.

"To the north border –town called Locus." Alexa told her for the fifth time since they had arrived.

"I just don't get why we have to come with you…" The blond didn't seem particularly happy about being woken up at 4 am, to go to a snow-covered mountain range that would take most of the day to arrive to.

"Stop complaining. This is a mission that the master ordered for us to go on. So go we shall, we cannot disappoint him for that would tarnish our guilds' reputation." Gray wanted to smack his head against the nearest stone pillar as the red-haired mage went in one of her "moods".

"Yeah sure, but it's still way too damn early to be up. I mean the sun will rise in what? Three hours from now?" Gray told the redhead and barely avoided the steel glad fist that almost took his head clean off. Sometimes he wondered if he should sew his own mouth so that he wouldn't make those damn smartass comments on literally everything. It would get him killed one day he was sure.

"At any rate, Natsu is late. That is unforgivable!" Gray went and smacked his head against the nearest pillar. There it was again. He really did like the fiery female knight but she should tone the knightly hood down a few notches.

"I'm sure he's gonna be here any minute now." Lucy was trying to assure the knight.

"No, he's still pretty far away." Alexa told the group who turned their attention to the new addition of the team.

"How do you know?" Gray asked while peeling his face off the pillar.

"Someone who I've used my support magic on recently will carry a magic signature of mine. It makes casting a support spell in battle easier and faster since I can sense their presence. In other words, I know their location even in the midst of battle." She told them while cocking her head to the side to get a better feel for the approaching magical energy.

"That's amazing! How long does the signature stay?" Lucy asked seeing the abilities usefulness especially against strong opponents or a large number of enemies –like armies and such.

"It depends on the spell I use. The more powerful the spell the more powerful mark it will leave. The most powerful spell in my support arsenal is the **Ether Magic: Golden form**. In theory, it should make someone invincible –depending on the enemy's strength –for an about 3 minutes. The mark that it leaves will last for about three to four years. Weaker spells like the **first** or **second stage** leave a mark for about a week and a half."

"Invincible?" Erza had got caught up in that one word.

"Yes. The spell will make one person invincible and magnify their powers tenfold for three minutes. However, that will leave me without any magical powers. And once the spell wears off from the person affected by it… well, they'll lose their magical powers for around four or five months, after which depending on the magical powers of the person in question had they will either slowly recover them or not."

"So if you're weak you'll lose your powers?" Lucy questioned. Alexa shook her head.

"No the more powerful you are the more likely it is that you will never recover even a fraction of your powers."

"So if one were to obtain godlike power for those three minutes they'll be stripped of it afterward. Talk about a harsh punishment." Gray muttered.

"The price of defying gods is unimaginably cruel." Alexa agreed as she leaned against a stone pillar of the station. She could feel Natsu close by.

"So you've never used that spell before?" Alexa looked surprised as Erza asked her that.

"You seemed uncertain about what was your strongest spell." The red-haired mage elaborated at seeing the look of confusion on the support mages' face.

"No, I've never used it. There have been times that I've been asked to use it but I could never bring myself to cast it. I don't want to be responsible for the loss of someone's magic." She explained and turned her head to face the door as Natsu stomped into the station. Alexa was quite certain that the dragon slayer had heard everything that they had been discussing.

"There you are! The train will be here any minute now!" Erza exclaimed as she went to whack the pink haired mage over the head.

"Ouch, what the hell was that for?" Natsu questioned as the rest of the group burst out laughing. Alexa smiled but couldn't bring herself to laugh with them. There was too much on her mind at the moment. One of which was the mission before them. The other was the fact that she had woken up just after midnight drenched in sweat. She had seen something that had been haunting her for a while now. She had pushed it out of her head when she had come to Magnolia but now it seemed like the feeling of something bad happening was even stronger than before.

Alexa felt her eyes cloud over as she remembered the small fragments of her dream. There had been blood and rubble as well as crying voices. Someone was shouting if she remembered correctly. She remembered casting a shield to protect herself from something. Then there was quiet but a sense of absolute despair and emptiness unlike anything else was still imprinted on her memory.

Looking at the fire and ice mage as they argued and the two girls talking about something or other she couldn't help the feeling that something was going to happen. She closed her eyes and once again pushed the feeling aside. However, this time she left the feeling of something being wrong the sense of emptiness from her dream to lurk in the dark corners of her mind. If something was bound to happen she rather she was ready for it than it taking her by surprise.

"Hey! The train is here!" Lucy excited shout brought Alexa out her thoughts. For now, it seemed like she should just concentrate on this mission. Alexa grabbed her luggage and was about to follow the others into the train when she was grabbed by the shoulder and forced to turn face to face with Natsu.

"Where's my "good morning"?" He asked and she found herself giggling.

"And where's my good morning kiss?" She asked and Natsu blushed but pecked her on the cheek anyway. She too blushed but smiled and took his hand as they boarded the train.

FAIRY TAIL

"I feel sick…" Natsu was leaning heavily Alexa as the support mage looked dumbfounded. Natsu had neglected to tell that his motion sickness was this bad.

"Is it always like this?" Alexa asked from Lucy, Erza and Gray who were sitting on the opposite seat to avoid being hurled on.

"Yes, and it's annoying as hell." Gray replied.

Alexa looked a bit stunned when the two others nodded along. Were they really on the same team? She couldn't imagine what would make them say that something that someone had no control over was irritating or annoying. Her mind blanked for a second until she realized that she was close to pummelling these so-called friends to bloody mincemeat.

Breathing out heavily she lay Natsu down so that the pink haired head came to rest on her lap. She carded her fingers through his hair and made soothing motions on his back. She closed her eyes and reach deep into the body of her boyfriend.

Erza watched in amazement as a golden light shone from the brunette girl and her body transformed into an angelic form. The light spread from the support mage to the fire mages body and it seemed to envelop the pair. Erza was glad that they had gotten their own compartment on the train, otherwise, they would have attracted quite a bit of attention. As the glow began to fade the once blue eyes opened to reveal golden ones. Her hair too had become almost completely golden as the golden glow faded away.

Natsu felt the feeling of being sick beginning to lessen as he slowly got his bearings. He could feel the train moving but wasn't sick. It was like the Troia spell that Wendy had cast on him before it started to lose its effects. Natsu opened his eyes and saw the surprised expressions on his teammates' faces and following the line of their gazes he saw something that made his heart stop. Alexa with her golden eyes and her golden hair flowing in the air around her like a golden halo.

Natsu saw how she smiled and guessed that she was the one to cure him of the damned motion sickness this time around. Without thinking he raised his hand and rested it on her cheek and her smile brightened.

"Thanks." He told her and she just nodded happily. Feeling tired he closed eyes but could feel a smile resting on his lips as he fell into a peaceful slumber. He was however awake long enough to hear Gray ask what she did and her answer.

"So what did you do?" Gray asked as Natsu closed his eyes and lowered his hand to rest on his chest.

"I fixed a few things. His heightened senses were the cause of this so I decided to adjust a few things. It won't really affect his senses but his motion sickness won't be coming back either. It's a permanent cure." She told them and all the while her eyes and hair slowly returned to their normal colors.

"This is like the zillionth time that I've said this, but you're absolutely amazing." Lucy exclaimed.

"Thank you. I think I'll also sleep a bit. Doing that kind of spell takes a lot of energy." She told them and leaned back while closing her eyes. The team smiled as the young couple slept with small smiles on both of their faces. It was then that Erza, Lucy and Gray decided that they would always be there for these two. Not just because they were family but because they were what they strived to reach in their lives. Happy and in love with someone who understands you when no one else will.

FAIRY TAIL

The train ride took up most of the day the group arrived at Locus around nightfall. The group decided to stay in the local inn. The group took two rooms: girls and boys. Alexa was almost ready to protest but decided that letting the two girls stay alone in the same room as Gray was cruel even for her. So as the group made their way to the second floor and separated into the rooms on the opposite sides of the hall they were shocked.

Alexa gave a quick peck on Natsus' cheek and turned around to go with the girls but Natsu had other ideas. He took a hold of the support mages black coat glad shoulders and turned her around. Before anyone could blink he kissed her full on the mouth. Alexa blushed crimson and when Natsu pulled back he smirked at her expression. A mistake. **"Nether Magic: First curse: Sight!"**

Natsu looked a bit surprised when he lost this sight and stumbled back a bit, back hitting the wall next to the door to the boy's room. "Don't worry, you'll get your sight back in half an hour." Alexa told him with a smug voice and then grabbed Natsu and pushed him into the room h shared with Gray. "Take care of him, Gray." Alexa told the dark-haired ice mage as she turned around but not before teleporting behind Natsu and giving another peck his cheek and saying good night. Needless to say that Natsu never tried to embarrass his soul bonded again. Well, not when they were in the presence of others.

"You got yourself quite a girl there." Gray commented when the girls had disappeared into their room and he had closed door. He had guided the temporarily blind fire mage to his bed.

"You can say that again. And you know what? I would never want to change the way she is: calm when you need her to be, caring and protective but mischievous and downright scary when she wants to be. And most importantly, she isn't afraid to stand up to me or anyone else." Natsu told the ice mage and Gary looked at the fire mage. The pink haired mage was smiling and Gray unconsciously smiled as well.

"And she's pretty damn good at kicking ass." Gray commented and Natsu laughed.

"That's the truth!"

"Hey, promise me that you'll never let her go." Gray said and Natsu could hear the serious tone in the devil slayers voice.

"I promise, as long as you get your act together and get married to a certain water mage." Natsu told him with a smirk.

"Where the hell did you hear about that?!" Gary shouted as the dragon slayer just laughed.

"Heightened senses you know." Natsu told Gray as he heard the incoming pillow and dodged.

"Oh, it's on you son of a bitch!" The dark haired mage shouted.

"Son of a dragon, you damned popsicle!"

FAIRY TAIL

Erza and Lucy were teasing the living daylights out of the poor support mage who ran to the bathroom to take a bath. The two laughed and Alexa sighed in relief as she slipped into the hot water. She caught a glimpse of her own face in the mirror before diving into the water. There were faint traces of gold still in her hair and she frowned as she remembered the warnings of her teachers and parents.

She had performed her first light element spell when she was three. She had been seen as a protégé and many magic teachers had come far wide to teach their techniques to her and to make her their apprentice. She had been the only child of a legacy family and thus her family could have afforded any of the teachers that came to their doorstep wishing to teach their child.

Alexa's father had, however, decided that his daughter would learn from the people who had been teaching light and darkness magic for each of the family members. She had been sent to the far east when she was only five. She had studied hard and was allowed to go home around the time of the New Year. She returned right after a murderer had left the house and the bodies of her family laying there. She had trained for the next seven years tirelessly and after those seven years, she had far surpassed her instructors and teachers.

Each person who graduated from this institute earned a new name. The name represented their powers and their personality. Her old name had been a soft, girlish name that her mother had decided on. During her first three years at the school, she had been given the name Alexa because of her support magic skills and the barrier techniques she had learned. She then learned offensive light magic and after mastering that she was taught black magic, more specifically she was taught death magic or as her teachers called it: Nether magic. It was the opposite of Ether magic which she had used up until then but she mastered it too. So well that she was given the name La Muerte meaning death as her last name.

She had left the institute and traveled the world honing her skills and searching for a home, a place to call her own. Not once after leaving had she ever forgotten the warnings that were imprinted in her memory. Ether magic and Nether magic both physically affected their user. Her skill was to utilize the power of either life or death and allow it to alter her own body making her faster and stronger. It wasn't a takeover; it was just her borrowing the power of either life or death.

The danger in doing so was that if she was in contact with either for too long she would slowly lose the other side; she could disappear and become a part of the world's magical reservoir, giving people their magical powers and thus giving life. Or she could become a force of death, forced to watch as people died, forced to take their lives. As such she had to use both Ether and Nether magic regularly so that one side didn't overrun the other.

So she searched out the thin golden stripe of her hair and focused on the dark magic. The golden stripe disappeared and her hair was fully reddish brown once again. She washed and got out of the bath making sure to take a close look at her eyes. The gold flecks had disappeared and she gave a small smile. Getting dressed she listened to the argument she could hear from across the hall. It seemed like the boys were caught up in a fight and Alexa was pretty sure that she even heard Erza there. She unlocked the door to the bathroom before teleporting to the roof of the inn.

She sat down and stared at the sky as the stars shone brightly. It was going to be a full moon next night. Gazing into the vast darkness of the town that seemed to be asleep she jumped from the roof. She only wore her white nightgown and a long white fur-lined white jacket. She walked through the streets of the town all the way to the forest and all the way to a lake close to the village. The full moons ray's made it look quite extraordinary to her. She teleported again and this time stood in the middle of the lake. Floating there she spread the white wings of her fourth Ether form: Thrones.

"Show me." As she watched the water surface changed into the images from her dreams. She saw the battlefields and the people who had died. And she saw him. A sob escaped her and she waved her hand to make the images disappear. Spreading her wings, she flew high. Looking at the moon she let her tears flow. "When the light of this moon shines upon these water again, let me remember." She felt the memories and the fragments of her visions fading away. It would be a year before they would return to her and then she would have to face them again but for now she didn't want to change the future. It never ended well when she messed with the powers that were not hers to control. She let her wings vanish and then reappeared in the room where the girls were staying in. She could hear them laughing in the boy's room and she smiled. She had no memory of the horrors that were waiting for them.

 **A/N**

 **Chapter 5 for your pleasure. We're one fourth in... no half of that... whoops. Anyway as I said before I'm a horrible person when explaining something that goes on in my head. So this happened. I'm really tired. I just don't know If I can finish the next few chapters since they are really... I don't a have a word for them... boring? No, maybe slow is a good word. At any rate, I'm nowhere near giving up, it's just hard and really difficult, especially since more enemies and allies are added to the story... it makes things complicated.**

 **Reviews are appreciated!**

 **Forgive my grammar errors. :)  
**

 **-A/N Edit (November,2018) : This story has been on hold for a while. Not because I didn't want to write but because after the release of the last chapter I lost all my files when my computer froze. I was unable to recover the files and I didn't have any backups. I had written well over 16 chapters at that point and felt that the loss was too great -I wouldn't be able to write.**

 **After that my studies got very hard and even over the summer I never really picked the story back up. Now I have better time management and I shall continue writing. I have to begin from zero, but I will complete the story with it's original plot that I had planned for it and the same result. I hope that people can understand this situation and the fact that I had never any intention of leaving anyone feeling like I left them hanging. If you're reading this be assured that I'm working over time to get this story ready for you to read.**

 **I deeply apologize for this situation and ask for patience -I hope to have improved my writing and I have taken better care while planning the chapters. I will upload the new chapter by the end of the month at the latest. Once again I apologize for the wait and the frustration. Thank you.**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Silent Words

"Is this it?" Gray wondered as the group walked up to a large mansion. It was still early; the sun had barely risen above the horizon as the group wondered up to the house overlooking the town they had been staying in.

"This is where the villagers directed us." Erza said and walked to large dark wooden double doors with carvings. They had large golden door handles and a lacrima placed near the door on a pedestal. Erza took a confident step forwards and placed her hand on the lacrima. The doors opened and the group walked in quietly taking in the expensive looking decorations and furnishing.

A man walked into the lobby wearing what seemed like some kind of suit. Following behind him walked a woman with greying hair and small laugh lines on her face. They both seemed to be around their mid-forties.

"My name is Erza Scarlet. You requested help from the Fairy Tail guild. We are here to help." The red haired mage told the couple and the man stepped forward to shake the knights' hand.

"We are grateful. My name is Jack and this is my wife Elise. Please, join us in the sitting room. We can go over the facts while sitting down." He told the group and turned around and went the way he had come. Erza walked in after him and the rest followed. The wife disappeared somewhere else and the mages sat down on the couches in the room.

"Please tell us more about your situation and what we can do." Erza told the man and he nodded with a small frown.

"Many years ago my great-great grandparents sealed a great demonic spirit away -a spirit that had caused the loss of several hundred lives in this area-, under this very house. In order to protect the people living here in case the seal failed they built a house here. What you see now is the result of years of rebuilding and strengthening of the magical seals surrounding the actual seal. Each family head has been responsible for finding their own soul bonded so the seal has been re-enforced every thirty years or so…" Erza leaned forward as the man paused and looked toward what seemed to be the kitchen.

"Soul bonded?" Lucy asked and the man gave a small sigh of relief at the subject switch.

"People form connections throughout their lives –some last while others don't. Soul bonded people or as some call them, soulmates, have a much more profound bond –once they meet they won't be separated. The bond brings forth incredible power and strong feelings –thus losing a soul bonded can cause the death of the other half. If they have met." The man told Lucy with a kind smile. She seemed interested and shifted a little closer to the edge of the seat.

"What if they never meet? Is it possible that they never find the other person?" The celestial mage inquired.

"Yes –some people don't have a soul bonded but those that do rarely find each other. And it depends on the pair how strong their bond will become after they meet. The bond is sometimes a romantic one, and other times it binds people as friends." Jack told them and Lucy smiled at the thought of the person that was truly meant for her.

"So –if a soul bonded pair is needed for the sealing ritual… I'm guessing that at some point the seal wasn't re-enforced." Erza guessed with a neutral tone. The man nodded.

"My father was unable to find his soulmate. He searched for years but he couldn't find his other half. He married my mother and had me… Skipping one generation is not a problem, but two is not an option. I, like my father and grandmother before me, searched for the person meant to be my other half. I haven't' found them." His voice gained a saddened tint to it and Erza lowered her gaze along with the rest of the group.

"I have been unable to re-enforce the seal –and it has been left unattended for far too long now. That's why I called you. We will pass the duty onto our daughter and her children but for now we need you to seal that creature away." Alexa shook the depressing thoughts out of her head and turned to Erza who seemed to be the one in charge of the group in their current situation.

"Is the seal still holding?" The red haired mage asked. Jack shook his head.

"There are cracks –large ones that require a great deal of power and a powerful soul bond to be resealed." Erza frowned and brought one hand to her chin in thought.

There was call from the kitchen and the man excused himself to help his wife.

"I trust that the master knew that we needed a pair with a soul bond, so why…" The knight muttered.

"He knew. Natsu and I share a soul bond. We were sent here to do the ritual." Alexa replied and she heard a quick intake of breath from Lucy. Erza turned to face the support mage with a calculating gaze that then shifted to Natsu who just blushed and looked away.

"Soul bond. Was master certain of this?" Alexa looked away and shrugged.

"He said that he could sense it. Besides – there's no other good word for what we share." Alexa told the group and Gray leaned closer to her.

"So what's it like?" He asked and Alexa shot a hopeless look at Natsu. The fire mage refused to meet her gaze and she shot him a glare before turning back to Gray.

"It's hard to describe… It's like a, well a bond. It ties us together –I can feel his magic and his emotions on a basic level when we're close by. If there's a greater distance the feeling is muted but the connection is still there." The brunette explained and Erza once again looked at her curiously.

"How did you recognize it?" She asked and Alexa turned to the read haired mage.

"It was kind of weird –it was like something was calling out to me… I couldn't think straight until we shook hands. Then it just kind of –I don't know, clicked? I could think again and then there was just the feeling of safety and happiness there." She paused as she felt Natsu who had shifted to sit beside her. His presence filled her senses and she relaxed visibly –she didn't care for the scrutiny of the team.

Gray watched with interest as the support mage reacted to Natsu sitting down next to her. The dragon slayer seemed to frown at the team as he sat down and laid an arm on the back of the couch –protective gesture if Gray ever saw one. The ice mage wasn't about to leave the subject hanging and neither was Erza.

"Then… you said that the feeling is muted when you're apart? Is that all?" The re-equip mage asked and Natsu answered instead.

"It feels like half of you is missing –like you're empty. Can't really enjoy things, can't concentrate on anything." The fire pink haired mage explained. Erza turned her gaze away with a thoughtful look on her face.

"So it's like you were meant to together?" The voice of the celestial mage startled the others. The blond had been quiet for a while –not even moving while the others were peering at the couple sitting on the other couch. Alexa just blushed and let the fire mage deal with the question –she was rewarded with a scathing, and embarrassed look on Natsus' face. As a response she shot him a cold smile –he had abandoned her to their mercy earlier, pay back was a bitch.

"Yeah… I guess. It's a bit different with dragon slayers." He stopped there and blushed when Alexa cast a dirty look his way –it was pretty clear what she was insinuating with it. Lucy answered with an embarrassed sound and a crimson blush while Erza smirked with Gray.

"Flame brain is finally getting some." Alexa stared at the ice mage for a brief second before dodging as the dragon slayer jumped to his feet and lunged at the dark haired male.

"What the hell did you say, you damned ice prick?!"

The fight was one and Erza seemed too lost in thought to intervene. The support mage cast a worried eye toward Lucy who seemed to be lost –she seemed aware but when her eyes landed on Natsu she would look away and when her gaze met Alexa's she would hold it for a while. The awkward situation lasted for a few minutes before their host finally returned –just in time to safe his living room from being wrecked by the two bickering mages.

"Excuse my absence –my wife needed help packing and I needed to get my keys to the library." Jack told the group and.

"No worries. If I understand correctly you said you're packing?" Erza asked and the group sat down again as did their host.

"Yes. We won't be in the house during this time. It's simply for our and our children's protection, as well as the protection of this town." The man explained and Alexa nodded along.

"If we fail and the seal breaks the spirit will come after your family –it's prison guards." The support mage mumbled and the man nodded.

"Our hope is that it won't come to that but we must be ready for that possibility. Now If you'll come with me." The man walked back to the lobby and to another door there before fishing pockets for a key ring with a dozen different keys.

"This is the library. You'll have full access to this until the job is done. I hope that something here can help with your mission, be it information about the spirit or anything else. I'm sorry that I'm unable to tell you more about it -everything I know about it was passed down from our ancestors. And –" He broke off before he walked to the door at the other side of the lobby before taking a key of the ring and handing it to Erza. "This is the key to the caves underneath the house. The seal lies there –at the end of the path. Give us a few days to leave –we'll travel a few towns away and settle there until news of either your success or you failure reaches us."

"We shall complete this request –this we swear as the wizards of Fairy Tail!" Erza told the man who nodded with a tight smile.

"I hope so."

FAIRY TAIL

"Are you nervous?" Alexa asked as she sat down on the green grass besides Natsu. The dragon slayer gazed down toward the village where people were slowly milling about.

"Nah… just thinking." He replied and Alexa nodded before turning her own gaze toward the grounds before her -the forests and fields that laid around the area, and the houses below the hill that the mansion was located upon. These people enjoyed the fruits of a cursed land -the creature that had been sealed here had, over time, made the ground rich with magic and thus fruitful.

It was a strange thing that had bothered her when she had been a child, still learning about magic and herself. To her evil was evil -a person who did bad things was evil, no matter the method. But the land didn't recognize evil or good magic -it didn't matter of magic was considered black by humans, it was the same as all other magic and the land drew power from it and granted it just the same.

Alexa gave the dragon slayer a quick look before laying down on the grass. It was getting colder each day as the summer warmth started to step aside and the cold winter winds begun to blow trough the lands. Alexa turned to her side -facing Natsu- as she watched the grass before her swaying in the wind. The green blades were starting to slowly die -a tint of yellow could be seen here and there. Some lone multicoloured leaves from the trees nearby danced along the tips of the grass blades before taking flight as the wind picked back up.

Alexa closed her eyes as another breeze followed the previous one and lifted her hair up. She enjoyed the feeling of the chilly air and the warmth of the blazing sun mixing on her skin. There was a shift and Alexa opened her eyes to see Natsu also laying down next to her. The support mage gave a small smile as the other closed his eyes and relaxed against the grass.

"So?" She asked, closing her eyes again, just enjoying the moment -the feeling of freedom and happiness. Their bond once again pulsed, and a gentle, warm feeling passed trough Alexa, it was the same feeling as home that she almost always felt when Natsu was close by.

"Hmm?" Natsu asked and Alexa could feel him shift closer to her. She smiled but didn't let the matter drop.

"What is it -the thing that you're thinking about." She clarified and was rewarded with a half chuckle.

"It's nothing." Alexa opened her eyes and grinned mischievously. She pushed herself up, so she could rest on her elbows. She shifted just slightly closer to the fire mage and laid a gentle hand on his arm. The fire user opened his eyes and looked at her with a small smile.

"Come on -I'm not someone you can lie to, not with such a bad poker face." Alexa told the other, keeping her hand there, letting the dragon slayer feel her presence. Their magic had been slowly intertwining -weaving together the more time they were within a close proximity of each other. Natsu sighed and let the smile drop. He turned his gaze away from the brunette and Alexa frowned slightly.

"It's just… I keep thinking that whatever we have -that it's just a-"Alexa nodded before cutting in.

"You fear that what we have is nothing but the bond -created by something neither of us can comprehend, nor understand." Alexa kept her eyes firmly on the pink haired mage who frowned before turning to look at Alexa.

"I know what I feel. I want this, from the bottom of my heart. I want us -and what we can have, what we can be." Alexa told the dragon slayer and watched as the olive-green eyes widened.

"You're sure?" Natsu asked and Alexa smiled and nodded. Natsu watched her -the clear, deep blue eyes and the emotions reflected in them. And he smiled as he found nothing but pure honesty, devotion and perhaps a tiny spark of love.

"I feel the same way." His answer was happy, voice relived, and Alexa smiled a bit wider -letting feelings she had kept hidden finally rein free, take control of her mind and her body. She was happy, and she wanted this -them, _him_. And she wasn't planning on letting this opportunity -this perfect moment escape her. She leaned down, pausing just for a second to confirm that Natsu wanted this, before closing her eyes and then kissing the fire mage.

It was soft, slow, perfect. Not like the rushed one at the inn. This one was just them -just their feelings, just their presence. Just them -here and now, on the green fields overlooking a peaceful town with happy people, under the warm sun. Natsu brought his other hand -the one not in Alexa's grip- to rest on her cheek while her other hand came to rest on his broad chest, covered by the black coat.

The moment lasted for what seemed like forever for the pair. When they did break apart Alexa rested her forehead against Natsu's. Natsu cupped her cheek as the two just stayed there -resting, drawing strength and power from one another. Sky blue eyes opened slowly and Natsu smiled as the other returned the slid down -placing her head on the fire mages chest, above the other's heart. She rested there, keeping one hand still on the other side of Natsus chest.

Natsu sighed in content -all of his senses telling him that both he and his bonded were safe, happy. Gazing at the blue sky above them Natsu allowed himself to feel their bond -it was pulsing, growing with every moment their hearts beat as one. The happier the pair was the stronger the bond grew and the happier they became in return -it was a cycle of power, loyalty and love. It was built upon a natural love and trust between them. And the more they fostered those feelings the more powerful the bond was.

Alexa snuggled closer to the fire mage's side and Natsu chuckled at her open display of affection -god knew how difficult it must have been for her to open up and trust him to this degree, it might have never happened without the bond that connected them. And while the thought felt sad to Natsu he refused to dwell on it -they were here now, bonded and maybe, in a few months mated. To Natsu that was the final trial -if she was ready and willing, then their fates would be bound forever the moment he claimed her as his. And while he wasn't ready now, he knew that what they had now, in this moment was more than enough.

FAIRY TAIL

Erza looked out of the window of the mansion -tired of reading trough another book without finding out anything useful. Her hair fell over her shoulder as she leaned further to look at the lawn -the front of the house that had the nice green grass patch. It was located in a slight slope to the village -perfect for stargazing in her opinion.

The armored mage startled as she spotted Alexa and Natsu laying on their back on the grass -they had insisted that the pair rest for the ceremony. She watched with interest as the support mage talked to the other while resting on her elbow. And then blushed when the pair kissed -slowly and tenderly.

"Guys!" She called softly but urgently -Lucy and Gray were sitting close enough to hear her and rushed over, no doubt expecting trouble. As the others reached the window Erza gestured down and then moved slightly to give them a better view. Lucy blushed and gasped while Gray looked at the scene with a smirk.

"So the flame brain is finally making move. About damn time." The ice mage muttered while keeping his eyes on the pair -the way they remained close together even as the kiss ended. Lucy was blushing scarlet but wasn't looking away from the pair laying on the grass outside.

"Okay so… I didn't need to see that." Lucy muttered, her hand covering her mouth while her face remained the color of a tomato.

"Oh, come on. Now we have something that we can hold over the idiot." Gray told the blond and received a glare in return. The ice mage held up his hands in defeat before turning to head back to the table that was still filled with books they had yet to look over.

Lucy turned her back to window as well before following Gray. Erza watched the pair and then turned her attention back to the couple beyond the window. She watched them for a few more moments before resolving to start reading again. Just as the red haired mage was about to turn she caught a glimpse of Natsu's smile.

Erza froze -her eyes glued to the expression on Natsus' face. His smile was soft, tender, happy -content. Erza had seen the dragon slayer at his lowest and at his highest -his brilliant smile, cocky and arrogant grin, and his tears of sorrow and despair. Erza had never seen his expression as it was now -just content, beyond the happiness that Erza had come to associate with the guild and them -the fire mages- friends. Perhaps in that brief instant, based on a simple smile, Erza swore to protect the pair -no matter the personal cost to her. Because she had never seen the person many in the guild, considered the brightest hope and the most brilliantly shining star among them all, be truly content. And if the person who made Natsu so happy was Alexa then Erza would make sure that the pair would have eternity with each other.

Erza turned around and headed toward the two others -hard at work to find anything to help them with the resealing. She smiled, that same gentle smile that she had given Jellal the last time they had met -the same feeling of love and protectiveness behind both instances. She was a knight -her duty was to protect those around her. And she was confident that in doing so she could reach her own happiness. As she walked Erza reached to briefly touch her armored chest -the place where a letter she had received the day before they had left Magnolia. The letter she had opened the night before while the other two had slept soundly. The familiar writing -elegant yet powerful. She was sure -her happiness was not only her own happiness but the happiness of the people around her and she was going to make sure that all of them would be smiling at the end.

FAIRY TAIL

Natsu shook the support mage awake as the sun begun to set. They had been napping for a few hours -waking only now, as the night begun to approach along with the cold wind. It wasn't a really a big deal for the dragon slayer who was able withstand extreme temperature changes but he was rather worried for Alexa whose body didn't have the same kind of resistance as his.

"Alexa, we have to go back inside." His voice seemed to snap the brunette mage out of her slight sleep as she opened her eyes and then promptly yawned.

"How long did I sleep?" She asked, removing her hand from his chest to rub at her eyes. Natsu gave her a fond smile before replying, "A few hours by the looks of it."

"Damn, we should have been helping the others." Alexa muttered but made no attempt to really leave her position on the dragon slayer's chest.

"Nah, they probably already figured everything out. Let's head inside." Natsu told the other nudging her to get up. Alexa nodded and slowly rolled off the fire mage. She stayed there -laying on the grass, watching the reddening sky as the sun set while Natsu stood up and dusted off. He bend down and offered his hand. Alexa gave a smirk and took the offer.

"A gentleman." She teased and Natsu rolled his eyes but Alexa could tell that he wasn't even annoyed by the comment.

The pair walked to the house and Natsu headed in first. Alexa paused and glanced behind her-the red sky, the village where the lights burned and the darkening horizon where the starts were slowly becoming more and more visible. Alexa couldn't say that she remembered her life before the murder of her parents very well -it was all very hazy at best. There was, however, one memory that she always remembered very clearly.

It was almost like a picture -she couldn't remember what came before and what happened after but that one moment, one scene had always stuck with her. She vaguely knew that her parents were standing behind her as she stood on a cliff over looking a vast area -there had been several towns in the far distance, lush fields rights before her and clear blue lake to her side. The sky had been a bit darker, red but with hints of purple and orange mixed in with the overall shade of red. The stars had just been coming out -the brightest showing first. It had been a clear sky, the trees in full glory and the flowers in full bloom. It was a beautiful memory and not just because it looked beautiful, but also because she could remember the feelings of love and safety that she had felt in that moment.

So here -when her life was taking on a new chapter and she was building her own life from the ground up- she looked back to that moment. And Alexa could only wonder if she would feel this way again, ready to face the world and anything that came with it, ready to take a leap, knowing that there were hands ready to catch her. The support mage allowed a brief flash of gold to overtake her form -she memorized everything about that moment into her mind. She knew, somewhere deep in her consciousness that she would cherish this moment in the future -the moment when she decided to entrust her feelings and her life to another person. And took on the responsibility to protect and care for him in return.

"Come on, hurry up. Let's go see the others." Natsu called and Alexa turned around to head inside. She walked to the fire mage and gave a smile as an answer to his questioning look.

The door to the library was open and the pair made their way to it quickly. Lucy was soundly sleeping on the desk, one of the books trapped under her arms that she was resting her head against. Gray was looking at one of the books while at the same time glancing at the bookcase he was standing in front of -undoubtedly searching for another tome that was mentioned in the one held in his hand. Erza was bend over map -occasionally checking something from her notes.

"I take it that the search is still ongoing?" Alexa asked and the occupants in the room sans Lucy turned to face the pair. Erza sighed tiredly and sat down on one of the chairs surrounding the large table in the middle of the room. Gray looked around for a moment more before pulling a book out of one of the shelves and walking back to the table as well.

"There is nothing. Which should be impossible -I mean there should be something mentioned about a huge disaster and the several hundred lives that were lost when the beast attacked this area." Erza muttered and closed one of the open books with a frustrated sigh.

"But there's nothing. Absolutely nothing to indicate that anything like that ever happened." Gray continued while throwing the he had been holding to the table and promptly waking up Lucy as well.

"I wasn't sleeping! I swear!" She old the group hurriedly. Erza gave a dismissive wave and Lucy sighed in relief.

"We have either missed something or the historians missed something huge." Gray muttered and Alexa cast a look around her.

The library was full of old books, very few that seemed to be new in any sense of the word. There were artifacts -all kinds of magical and non-magical scattered around the room; vases, clothing, weapons, crystal balls etc. Everything in the room, an in the rest of the mansion screamed that a legacy family lived there. Their collective knowledge and their vast network allowed them to gather the most important pieces of history. And it gave them the ability to record everything that happened. Even if a historian didn't know about something, a legacy family did -they knew things that were never shared with the general public. It had been the same with her family and had her parents been spared she would have been trained to become the next heiress of her family. She would have started to record the history and searching and collecting items, spells and everything and anything that was a part of history -a part of the ever-changing world.

"There should still be something." The brunette told the group and the group turned their attention to her. Alexa took a step further into the room and looked around with a scrutinizing gaze.

"There isn't. We searched all the books in this place that had been written around that time or at an later date. Nothing. Not one peep of demonic spirit or a creature or any other beast. Or the damage it caused." Gray was irritated -and Alexa really couldn't blame the normally calm ice mage -according to their timetable they had barely a few days to find out everything and anything relating to the spirit that was sealed away beneath the house. Any info about its powers, its history could prove vital to them. And the lack of the said information could prove fatal.

"This is a legacy family -if they, at any point encounter anything they think worth recording they record it. And if they happen to be guarding an evil spirit or something -I think someone would have kept a memo about it." Alexa told the others while looking around the room. Nothing stuck out in her mind. But there had to be something.

"Well, we haven't found anything here. Maybe in the other parts of the mansion." Erza pondered for a moment and Alexa dismissed the thought that couple would have stashed the book somewhere else. The support mage frowned and watched as Natsu leaned against the door frame of the library -keeping a steady eye on the lot but not getting involved.

"It's late. We'll head back to the inn for now. I highly doubt that we would be welcome to stay the night." Erza stood up and gathered the books they had already looked over to a neat pile on the end of the table, before making her way to the door. Gray followed her with an irritated huff. Lucy seemed to lag behind the other two -her eyes darting between Natsu and Alexa before she made a decision.

Lucy stood up and walked to the door and stopping in front of the fire mage. Alexa turned her gaze to the pair but kept a respectful distance -giving the illusion of privacy. No that Lucy seemed very concerned with the whole concept of privacy at that moment. She reached out and gripped the white scarf wrapped around Natsu's neck and then leaned in close enough to touch the other. And then kissed the dragon slayer.

 **A/N**

 **So here we are -I'm back to updating again and I hope this chapter kept you at least occupied for a few minutes. More is coming soon.**

 **I'm not a native English speaker so forgive my grammar -or point it out gently, I do TRY my best.**

 **I own nothing about Fairy Tail.**

 **Reviews are appreciated. Thank you for reading.**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: The moment of silence

Alexa stared, just for a moment, before giving Natsu a stern look.

The fire mage didn't seem that surprised and Alexa wondered how long he had been dancing around with the celestial mage before she had shown up. Though as soon as the though popped up it went out of the window. She trusted the dragon slayer -because even as the blond was pressed up against the dragon slayer the bond between the two pulsed with love and devotion. It was such a familiar feeling now that both relaxed -Alexa let a sad smile slip onto her face when Natsu gently pushed the other girl away.

Lucy looked up at him -embarrassed and scared, but beneath that Natsu could see a powerful determination and jealousy. It was true -he had been courting her at one point, liked her and wanted them to become something more. But in that instant when he had seen her after that one year of separation he knew that something had changed. And even after the war they hadn't been the same. Something had changed and he couldn't really say what.

He trusted her and she trusted him sure, but Natsu couldn't truly connect with her. She had read his book, she had rewritten it. He didn't know everything -only glimpses of a time past. But she had seen everything about him. And that had lead to a weird situation between the pair. Not that she had been the only one. The ice mage and Natsu had had an awkward period after the war where they couldn't really fight -Gray had seen something, something that even Natsu had never known about himself.

With Alexa the pair had something that Natsu could understand. He could relate to the feeling loosing people you loved and the feeling of emptiness, the need to find a new home. And then finding it. The difference between Lucy and Alexa had been their past. She had seen her fair share of hell and had had to fight to have what she longed for. And still she was fighting. To make sure that she could be happy and Natsu could relate to that. Every fight that he risked his life in was a fight for the happiness of those around him, but it was also for himself. It was a way to proof that he was powerful and that he could protect the people close to him, and their happiness.

Alexa could understand that. She could appreciate what he was and what he wanted to become. She understood where he came from but didn't want every detail. Just like Natsu knew her motivations and her past but didn't know every knock and cranny of her mind or her past for that matter. What Lucy needed was all of your life story -she wanted answers to all her questions before she could begin to build trust and even then she struggled with the concept of it. She didn't trust others to protect her and she didn't trust her own strength.

It was a flaw in her personality and it had been the opposite of Natsu –he always believed and most of the time also knew that he could win. But he also knew that he could always trust in his family. And the fact that Lucy had ever doubted that family had made him doubt her. That moment when she had confessed that she thought that people had forgotten about the guild had told him that she didn't know her own family. That she didn't trust in herself and them.

The bond between Alexa and him was growing stronger by the day and not only did it give them both strength and power it also allowed them to better connect with each other's feelings. They could understand each other's emotions and the way they thought -not the individual thoughts, but the general gist of what the other was thinking about. The bond could only grow stronger when both parties had unshakable trusts and love between them. And they had that. Lucy had doubted and that had been a warning sign to Natsu. It had been the reason he had looked at her and finally seen her as nothing more than a member of his pack, his guild -his family. She was dear to him –just like the stripper and Erza. He loved all of them, he loved his family and Lucy would always be a part of that, but she wasn't his bonded.

Natsu looked down at the celestial mage that he was holding away from his body. He gripped her arms firmly -not enough to hurt but firmly enough to make the situation clear, she wasn't coming closer. Natsu could see her brown eyes track his movements. He saw how she avoided his gaze, embarrassed and shameful of her own actions.

Natsu cast a quick glance in Alexa's direction. She was leaning against a desk almost on the other side of the library. Her expression reflected his thoughts. Lucy wasn't ready to let go, because she he had never told her what he intended. He blamed himself for that. Natsu and Alexa had never really announced what their relationship was -that they were bonded and what it meant. Natsu had thought their relationship had been clear but it seemed like Lucy didn't believe that or something else had made the celestial mage act the way she had.

"Lucy…" The fire mage stopped, closed his eyes and sighed. He lowered his hands and let the blond celestial mage go. She took several steps back.

"I know… I just… We saw you two out there today… and I just- I just felt so… cheated." Lucy explained, bringing her hands together in front of her and twisting them. Natsu cast a pleading look toward Alexa who smiled but didn't move closer. She couldn't get mixed up now -her presence wouldn't solve anything. Seeing the distressed look on the blonde's face Alexa frowned. The brunette gave Natsu a long glare and then teleported outside the mansion. She leaned against a large tree some ways off -Alexa could see the door way but anyone coming or going wouldn't be able to see her from there.

Natsu watched calmly as the support mage vanished in a flash. He could sense her close by but still far enough a way to tell him that she wasn't eavesdropping on the pair. Natsu turned his attention back to the mage before him.

"I'm sorry." The fire mage said and Lucy looked up with an alarmed look. Natsu sighed before continuing.

"I made some… suggestions. I'm sure you realized I was interested… and that I was courting." Natsu paused and Lucy nodded, her eyes still wide and shocked, face flushed and lips trembling. "I felt that we could have something. And then… I guess I just realized that maybe I had been wrong." Lucy looked up at that, meeting his gaze, a questioning look in her eyes.

"When? When did you realize?" Her voice was strong, but there was an edge to it. Once again, she was seeking answers -looking into his eyes and searching for the truth that would once again allow her to trust him.

"When I returned from that yearlong training trip. That's the first time I noticed that something was off with the way I felt. Then is just kind of… slipped away." His voice was quiet as he told her. He wondered if she had realized it. Lucy looked at him with her brown eyes -saw the confusion there. She hadn't known, she hadn't realized when he had stopped courting her actively. And he couldn't really blame her.

"I should have made it clearer. But I didn't know Alexa existed back then and then she just was there -she was there and everything happened so fast afterwards. It's still fast." Lucy didn't seem convinced.

"You just fell in love with her. You haven't known her for more than a few weeks. I don't believe that. It's a lie!" Her voice rose and Natsu grimaced -his ears were sensitive, and Lucy's voice wasn't exactly quiet. Even more so when their surroundings were completely quiet.

He had never bragged about his sensitive hearing -but it was. Nowhere the levels that Cobra's hearing was, but loud and unexpected voices that he wasn't prepared for were still loud and would cause him to flinch. Alexa's voice had always felt gentle -her voice was never too high and the general tone of it was smooth and velvety. It was nice to listen to. Especially since she seemed to acknowledge that all his senses were heightened. Alexa avoided speaking too loudly or with a high pitch. She stayed away from strong perfumes or other things that could cause a strong scent. And she had understood that the motion sickness wasn't his fault nor was it fun.

"I did. We are soul bonded." His explanation seemed to nothing to calm the other down.

"And what? It was love at first sight?!" Her angry shout, rung in the empty house and Natsu winced. He didn't want this to happen -for her to get angry and to yell at him.

"It's like that. It just feels like you're finally complete. It's a bond. It's something neither of us had any idea even existed before we were close enough -proximity wise." Natsu stayed calm -or at least tried to.

"So now you're soulmates with her? That doesn't change anything! You don't know anything about her -we have had so much together! So why… why the hell would you choose her!?" Natsu closed his eyes and ground his teeth. He could feel the way the bond flared -Alexa felt his distress and it worried her. He tried to calm down as much as he could. The bond seemed unhappy that he didn't call for his partner in his time of distress -it sends a pulse of warm energy to both parties while seemingly twisting and pulling the pair closer. Neither moved, though Natsu felt Alexa's calm emotions washing over him –though he could feel that she was on edge.

"It wasn't a conscious choice. The bond had always been there and meeting her was what allowed it to awaken. If… If she had never come to that hotel… Things could have been different. But now that the bond is there –it would a betrayal to leave her, both for her and mr. It would be like denying the need to breath." Lucy looked at him -her eyes were glazed with tears and her lips trembled.

"So you want her? She's better than me?" Her voice trembled. She shivered every few seconds. Natsu sighed and looked into her brown eyes.

"It's not about that. You're more than enough, but for me… You don't complete me. It's not about being enough or anything like that. It's just… she is everything that I could ever ask for. And I'm everything for her. We are complete… and let's say that I chose you over her… it would make both of us unhappy. Because I'm not your bonded, nor are you mine." Natsu stood up from where he had been leaning against the door frame. Lucy looked at him, tears falling.

"And if you were enough for me?" She asked and Natsu smiled. He laid a gentle hand in her shoulder

"I not and I'll never be enough fro you. Sure we could have been happy. But... we would have never been content like this. There would have been things that would have never worked out -some things that could've even driven us apart." He let his hand fall and turned around before her hand found his jacket and clutched at it.

"What am I supposed to do now?" Natsu glanced back at her -she was crying, sad, devastated. But she was also strong. And he knew that she would find what she was looking for.

"Take a step. Let you yourself find it -whatever you need to keep pushing on. You're strong Luce. You're very strong. No doubt about that. And I'm sure that you can make your own path and find the person who can make you smile even brighter. And remember that you're a part of Fairy Tail. No matter what you're family." He felt the grip slacken and Natsu slipped away from the library.

Lucy stood there for a moment. Her hands trembled for a few more seconds before she forced herself to calm down. The others had left. She was alone here -but she was stronger than this. What she had done -when she had kissed Natsu- that had been nothing more than an impulse, something she would have never normally done. But she had been so jealous when she had seen the pair kiss. She had only thought about the way she had been cheated. She had cared for the dragon slayer and he had chosen someone else –even after all they had been through together.

She couldn't say that she was okay, nor that she was going to be okay for a long time. She just wished that she would be able to, at some point, move on and find the person that made her smile like that as well. She had always been a romantic. She had loved the stories where the hero of the story found their soulmate. But now she realised the bitter feelings that could come with it -to those who were left to the side. But she couldn't possibly hate the dragon slayer -he was still an irreplaceable friend to her. She had just thought that he wanted, could and would be more to her.

Lucy straightened. She brushed her bangs away from her eyes. One thing was for sure –Natsu had said that she was strong, and from that moment on she was going to be just that. The fire mage hadn't just been trying to comfort her –he had know that she was going to climb on her feet and stand taller than ever. Because that was the reason she was a member of Fairy Tail. They didn't give in. She was going to forge her own path –just like the day she had ripped the dress in front of her father. Just like when she had when she had gripped her guild mates hands on Tenrou as Acnologia had prepared to attack. Just like when she had believed in her guild to win the games and when the eclipse had closed and the dragons had ravaged the city. Just like she had when she had rewritten Natsu's book and when she had cast the Fairy Sphere.

FAIRY TAIL

Alexa watched as Natsu emerged from the mansion. His expression was unreadable and the support mage frowned in worry. She teleported in front of the other –the fire mage didn't even blink. He gave her an uneasy smile before starting to walk with her toward the town below the hill.

"I hurt her." His words were quiet and Alexa looked at him –he seemed sad and the normally blazing eyes were slightly dimmer. The support mage could understand that pain. After all she had hurt someone close to her before as well.

"Yes." She didn't hesitate. It was the pure truth and she was pretty sure that Natsu didn't want lies. Plus she was feeling a bit jealous herself.

"That's cold." The fire mage told her and Alexa gave him a cold smirk.

"That's what you get for going around and flirting with other girls." Natsu shuddered as she gave him an dark look.

"Never again!" The dragon slayer swore to the brunette. Alexa gave a dismissive wave while blushing. She turned to look behind her as they reached the edge of the town. The sky was already dark but Alexa could still see the shape of the mansion.

"Think she's going to be okay?" Alexa asked and watched as the fire mage smiled.

"She's strong. Stronger than many others that I know. She's going to be alright –in time." Natsu replied and Alexa gave a small smile. He was right about that.

The support mage could feel the strength that all of the mages in Fairy Tail held. It was a very special guild –the people there were special. Their powers aside the members were powerful in their spirit as well. The guild was a huge family, filled with powerful personalities and loving feelings. And she was happy to be a part of it. And because she was a part of it and because Lucy was a part of it, Alexa could say that they would be okay. Because the moment you walked through the guild doors, you became stronger –because you became a part of the most loving and most caring family in Earthland.

FAIRY TAIL

Lucy returned to the inn several hours later. She saw Natsu and Gray arguing about one thing or another while Erza sat on her own bed -eating a rather large slice of strawberry cake. Her hair was undone and she had switched out of her amour. Next to her sat Alexa -her hair was wrapped in a towel -undoubtedly having just come from the bath. The brunette was chatting with Erza about something, wearing only her nightgown and a blue cardigan over that. She seemed content and happy.

Lucy had never looked at Alexa before now. Just looked -not at her assets or her features- at her. And now Lucy could see what Natsu had meant -they were both content. The celestial mage wasn't sure how to feel -they were both smiling, both of them somehow in sync with each other. And Lucy felt a smile slip on her face, because -they were beautiful. She was still jealous and hurt, yes, but she could also see where the stories for soulmates had come from.

Alexa reached for the towel she had wrapped her hair in and took it off. The hair fell down her shoulder, still dripping despite the time it had been locked inside of it. Sighing the brunette turned to look at Natsu who was still bickering with Gray. The ice mage had once again stripped in the middle of the town and the fire mage and Alexa had been slightly embarrassed as they had collected the others clothing that had been strewn around the road leading to the inn.

"Natsu, help me." Her voice was soft -not something one would normally even hear given the ruckus the two were making. It was a miracle that Erza hadn't kicked them out or beat them senseless. The dragon slayer heard her and stopped in middle of throwing a punch. Gray was quick enough to react to stop the movement and both lowered their fists.

Natsu turned to face her, giving her a questioning look. She just cocked her head felt the wet hair shift where it lay against her back, slowly soaking her clothes. The fire mage nodded and made his way toward her and then kneeled on the bed behind her. His hands were gentle and warm as they combed trough her hair, carefully avoiding knots and solving them as they came up.

Erza gave a smile at the domestic scene between the couple and Gray just smirked. Lucy stood in the doorway -her senses telling her that there was no way that the normally brash fire mage was really helping the support mage dry and comb her hair. But he was. And again, she could see the content and happy air around the pair.

"Look at that, she de-fanged the big, bad dragon." Gray teased and was rewarded with a flash of light that lead to the ice mage yelping out in pain. It had been a slight light spell. It didn't do more than sting, but it was enough to get the dark-haired mage to shut his mouth and slip into one of the armchairs in the room. Lucy came to the room fully now -letting her self be known, even though she was sure that the others had sensed her presence as soon as she had come to the edge of the village.

"Ah, Lucy. Alexa said that you had wanted to finish the book you had been reading before coming back for the night. Did you find out anything?" Erza asked as she turned to look at the celestial mage. Lucy turned her gaze from the red haired mage to the brunette who was humming as the fire mage dried her hair. Her blue eyes were heavy lidded but still sharp.

"Nope. Nothing useful." She told Erza with a slight smile and the mage returned to her cake with a nod. Gray was rubbing his side where the spell had landed while muttering. Lucy was pretty sure she heard Juvia's name somewhere in there.

The celestial mage looked back at Alexa. The blue eyes met her gaze. There was a gentle smile on her lips –it wasn't cruel, it was understanding and gentle. The brunette inclined her head slight, questioning and Lucy understood. She wanted to know if Lucy was okay. And Lucy could only wonder how the support mage wasn't angry at her. Even if she was sure about Natsu's affections she should still be angry about what Lucy had done right in front of her. And she wasn't.

"There." Natsu's voice broke the silence and Alexa turned to the fire mage. She pecked the pink haired male on his cheek –causing the fire mage to blush- before standing up.

"I'll go get something to drink, any requests?" Alexa asked and nodded as the group named their demands. "I'll be back in a few. Lucy, would you help me?" The celestial mage turned to the brunette who walked toward the door of the room. Lucy nodded and walked out of the room. Alexa closed the door behind the pair and started to walk downstairs.

"Are you alright?" Lucy looked at the support mage who kept the gentle smile on her face.

"I… I'm okay. Not fine but I will be." She told the other and watched as Alexa nodded. The brunette then cast a barrier spell that engulfed the pair.

"So Natsu doesn't hear." Alexa explained as the pair approached the stairs. They began their descend before stopping in the middle of the stairs. Alexa turned to face the other mage fully.

"I'm not angry." Alexa told the other and Lucy gave her a questioning look.

"Why? I would be angry with you if it was the other way around." The blond asked and watched as the other leaned against the railing of the stairwell.

"I'm not. Natsu and you had, still have, something –a strong relationship build on trust and love. Then me, a complete stranger, showed up. Neither Natsu or I really made it clear what we were and what we intended –because we still had trouble understanding the whole thing." Alexa explained and Lucy watched as the other mage gazed at her slipper glad feet.

"It was confusing for you and –I don't blame you for feeling the way you do, or what happened before. I just hope that you don't hate Natsu too much because of that." Alexa looked back at Lucy and the celestial mage felt the power of the brunette radiating around the pair. "He holds you dear –you're precious to him. So if you have something against us, I'd rather you'd take it out on me than him."

Lucy just stared at the other mage for a few seconds before taking a few steps down the stairs so she was standing in front of the brunette. "I don't hate either of you –how could I. He is the best friend that I could have ever asked for –and you, you're just too…" Alexa looked up at the blond as the brown eyes filled with tears. "You're already precious to me as well."

The support mage blinked as the blond wiped the tears from her brown eyes before they could fall. She had no idea that anyone in the guild, never mind the team felt that way for except for Natsu. She smiled and reached out to hold the celestial mage's hand. The brown eyes widened as she watched their joined hands.

"You're all precious to me as well. And –If you can accept me as a part of that family, then that's the best thing I really could ask for." Aelxa told the other and Lucy nodded with a bright smile.

"Welcome to Fairy Tail!" The pair smiled –the golden barrier pulsing around them.

FAIRY TAIL

"What the hell is taking them so long?" Gray asked as he stood up and turned to head for the door. Natsu reached a hand out and gripped the others arm.

"Leave them." The fire used said to the black haired mage while keeping a keen ear on the pair. He had been able to hear the first few words but after that something had blocked off the sound of their voice. Natsu guessed that it was Alexa's doing since he could still sense them standing in the same spot as a few minutes before.

Natus sighed as the ice mage shot a look at him before sitting down. The fire user just looked at the red haired female male still sitting in the room. She was looking at Natsu with an intense gaze and the pinkette could only wonder what the other was after. The mere gaze was making the dragon slayer shiver and Erza wasn't about to let the issue go. She wanted to find out something and she was going too.

"Lucy was acting weird. Why?" The female mage stared accusingly at the dragon slayer. Natsu swallowed before exhaling slowly.

"Nothing." He answered with an unsure grin. Erza wasn't convinced and gave the fire user a stern look.

"You better have not done anything that hurt her." She warned him and Natsu gave a nod.

"I wouldn't." He told them and Erza nodded slowly. She seemed to be satisfied with the answer –believing her teammate was being honest, at least to a degree that it wouldn't affect the completion of the mission.

"We'll talk about it later." The red haired mage returned to her cake while Gray turned his attention to the fire user.

"Did something happen?" His voice quiet enough that Natsu barely heard it. He nodded slowly but as soon as Gray was about to ask what he shook his head –mouthing 'not now' to the ice mage. The black haired male nodded after looking at Erza with a serious gaze. They would talk later.

It was then that the girls returned to the room. Natsu sensed that there was less tension between the pair and gave a small smile as Gray diverted his attention from the fire mage to the pair in hopes of getting his drink.

Alexa took her place on the bed next to Erza with Lucy taking the red haired mages other side, while the other two mages took their seats on the other bed –across from the others. Alexa gave Natsu a slight smile as he shot her a questioning look. It was alright now –or at least better.

"Now that we're all here… we have to talk about what we're going to do with this mission." The other's quickly turned to Erza who once again took the leading role.

"Well, we're lacking information for starters –nothing turned up when we looked through the library." Gray told the group while taking a sip of one of the drinks Alexa and Lucy had brought them. Erza nodded.

"Indeed. We still have tomorrow and the day after that. Let's prioritize tomorrow for searching for information. If nothing comes up… we'll rest the next day and then… then we go down to do the sealing." Erza decided and gave a meaningful look to the soul bonded pair.

"I assume you're aware of what you must do during the ritual?" The red haired mage asked. Alexa nodded.

"It's nothing too complicated –just using the magic from the bond to re-enforce the seal." The brunette told the others and Natsu groaned.

"Something wrong, Natsu?" Erza asked and received an annoyed look from the dragon slayer.

"The client –whatever his name was- said that the seal required a complete soul bond, or an almost complete one right?" Erza pondered for a moment before turning to look at Gray and Lucy.

"I think he said something about a powerful bond…" Lucy said uncertainly. She had been listening but she had been kind of thrown off balance by the news that Natsu and Alexa were bonded.

"You're worried that the bond will be unable to bear the strain." Alexa guessed as she leaned back against the wall that the bed was pushed up against. Natsu stared at her and then nodded slowly –his expression switching from irritation to slightly worried.

"What is it? Why would-" Gray's question was interrupted by Natsu as he stood up and walked to stand in front of the window.

"Everything I know about soul bonds came from Igneel. He taught me the importance of them. He also taught me that a bond needed time to mature –ours is powerful, largely thanks to my heritage and our magic… it's not, however, even near completion. It's still new, fresh. And putting too much strain on it…" His voice faded away and the group looked at him with surprise –Natsu was rarely very articulate and hearing the dragon slayer talk and actually make sense came as a bit of shock to the team. Not to Alexa.

"If the bond is put under too much pressure… there's a change that it either breaks or that it's worn so thin that it's barely there." Alexa told the group before closing her eyes as the questioning looks fell upon her.

"That doesn't sound good –what happens to you if the bond either breaks or is damaged?" Lucy asked while switching her gaze between the pair. Alexa opened her eyes and brought her knees up to her chest –she felt cold, her body felt heavy with anxiety and worry. It took her a moment to realize that her worry wasn't causing the feeling –it was Natsu's feelings that were causing her to feel like that.

"If the bond is badly damaged… we're both going to be in pain –immense pain. Normally it would last until the bond is repaired, but since the bond is new… it doesn't –it can't repair itself. It would eventually lead to us losing our magic or becoming sick, maybe both. We would die pretty young –maybe in a decade or so." Alexa explained.

She remembered as Natsu had told her all about the soul bonds, or what he knew about them –guiding her through the forest as they had traveled back to Magnolia. She had been so happy then –feeling the powerful magic surround her, both the magic of the bond and their own magic that had started to intertwine slowly. And now she could suddenly feel it again. The support mage opened her eyes to see Natsu sitting next to her. His gaze was down –the feelings of anxiety flowing through the bond. But she could also feel the bond itself, the power that bound them.

The dragon slayer wrapped an arm around her shoulders and allowed Alexa to lean in to the others chest. She did –breathing in the now familiar scent of fire. She smiled as the bond once again pulsed as the pair calmed down –neither of them had realized it but the bond had been pulling them together, to lessen their distress. And it had worked. Natsu was still on edge, even if a bit calmer being closer to his bonded. In that moment Natsu decided to address the other possibility.

"If the bond breaks… we will both die." There was a slight inhale from Lucy who gazed at the pair, followed by a shift from Erza as she turned to face the pair fully.

"So… If the bond is not strong enough, if it's still too early –we could lose both of you." The re-equip mage clarified. Natsu nodded while holding the female knights gaze.

"What the hell, flame breath? Why would you keep that to yourself?" Gray asked and Natsu just shook his head.

"If the bond was a weak one, or if it was a normal… none of that would happen. But the bond with a dragon slayer is powerful –because the bonds that dragons had were powerful. More so than with any other species. I kind of hoped that… it wouldn't be so strong, but… it is, and with that comes its own risks." Alexa felt the other's distress and frowned. There was always a chance that something would go wrong, but they had a job to do.

And as much as she wanted to voice that thought to the dragon slayer, she realized that she couldn't. She usually said everything as it came to her mind –straight to the other person face, people usually appreciated it a lot more than beating around the bush. But she couldn't do that here. Not when she felt the same feelings as the dragon slayer –nothing she said would erase the fear in his or in her mind. Neither wanted to lose the other.

 **A/N**

 **Forgive my grammar mistakes, English is not my first language.**

 **Thank you for the reviews -I hope this chapter answered any questions about the ending of the last one.**

 **So I don't know how clear it is (I tried to make it clear, but not everyone can see it the same way I can), but my intention is making all characters as realistic and as true to the source material as I can. The way I write may be a bit off so that can affect a lot of things -the way you might read a line is not the way that another person sees it.**

 **I'm not a Lucy hater -I like her, she's a strong character and I believe that NaLu is a beautiful pairing and have read several amazing works of the ship. Just like many others. I won't be putting these characters on the back burner -many will get their own chapter/arc in this story. Lucy is one of those. And this is the first step -it was her first chapter. I won't always write about it like this but there are chapters that take on a different character and their struggles or their view on an issue/event.**

 **I will explore several different relationships in the story -Mira x Laxus, Elfman x Evergreen, Erza x Jellal, Gajeel x Levy, Gray x Juvia and of course Natsu x Alexa (Zeref and Mavis is another thing entirely but there's still some time before that becomes a thing in this story). I do now know if I'll ship Lucy with someone or not but regardless -her arc is beginning and I will do justice to her, and all the other characters because they deserve it.**

 **If you want a special appearance from other characters or if you would like to see Lucy getting together with someone just review/message me and I'll take it into consideration.**

 **I will be updating at some point -it might take a week or two but an update is once again coming soon!**

 **Reviews are appreciated as always!**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Nightmares

The next day was spend indoors as the team tried to find any useful information regarding the creature sealed beneath the house. Natus had given up and left to rage outside while the rest kept reading. Erza kept making notes of anything of import but from her expression of frustration it was clear that none of it was of any help recarding their task. Gray was flipping through a book but it was clear that he wasn't even reading the contents at that point and Lucy was taking another book pile back to the bookcases that dominated the room.

Alexa sighed and dropped the book she had just finished onto the table –it was an old tome that had been written at the right time, and it mentioned several big events that had happened in the area but nothing was mentioned regarding the monster. The book slammed on the table drawing a look from Erza but no one commented on it –it was a regular enough occurrence that day. The brunette stood up and left the library with an irritated expression. The fire mage was feeling pretty much the same and raging in the backyard of the house. It was clear that the longer they sat around the more frustrated they were becoming.

Alexa wondered to the large living area where they had been sitting the day before. It was decorated by old furniture with golden embellishments. There were antiques scattered all around the house but the most interesting ones were here –an old map that showed the continents around Ishgar, an old crystal ball that was covered by a thin, almost transparent cloth etc. It all reminded Alexa of her childhood home and once again with that sense of nostalgia came the doubt that there wouldn't be any information.

Alexa leaned against the wall of the living room while keeping her gaze on the map that she had spotted earlier –it was from over 300 years ago by the looks of it. She had never seen the maps but by counting all the wars, agreements and conquests it was easy enough to deduce from which era it was from. The kingdom of Fiore had been quite a bit larger than it was now –there had been wars that had ended with the small continent losing ground to the Eastern and Western empires.

The brunette cast one last glance around the room before heading for the stairs that lead to the second floor of the mansion. Pausing she glanced at the two swords being displayed at the wall of the lobby. They resembled the ones that she had always admired at her childhood home where several weapons had been on display and locked up in the basement behind secure magical protections. Continuing on she reached the second floor landing. Heading for the sitting area in the middle of the lading she sat down.

Alexa leaned into the couch and rested her head against the backrest of the couch. Sighing she closed her eyes. Reaching out to sense the magic of the house she was once again assaulted by the barrier surrounding the creature. It prevented her from finding any enchantments or otherwise magically altered objects. And it was beginning to be a pain. Opening her eyes she huffed in frustration before standing back up –she couldn't bring herself to relax.

That morning she had woken up with a barely contained scream. She had no recollection of what she had been dreaming about but she was sure that it hadn't been pleasant. Her feelings of terror and anxiety had send Natsu rushing into the room a few minutes later –and then he had been beaten down by Erza for interrupting her sleep. Alexa had assured that everything was alright and the situation calmed down. The group had went back to sleep for a few more hours. She had been too wound up to even think about sleeping.

Alexa teleported to the roof of the house –feeling the wind in her was usually a comforting thing to her and right now she needed to stay calm. Sitting down on the gently sloping roof the brunette gazed at the sky. It was just after midday and the sun was still shining warmly. The few clouds that did float around the sky stayed away from the village and she could enjoy the warm feeling. It was the same as the day before –her and Natsu laying in the warm sunlight.

The support mage closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment. It was quiet –still. The wind was a bit chilly but the sun drove that chill away. Opening her blue eyes Alexa watched the clouds for a brief moment, observing the way they flowed with the winds. The sky-blue eyes widened. Alexa stood up suddenly –feeling the fear and anxiety pulsing in her veins. She looked at the sky and followed the movements of the clouds and then dropped her gaze.

Something was seriously wrong -the whole area suddenly seemed colder than a few minutes before. It was like the magic of the land that had been flowing gently into everything living suddenly turned dark and lashed out. It seemed cold and hateful. Alexa stood silently on the roof of the house, her desperate gaze searching the vast lands laid beneath the hill upon which the mansion stood. She could sense the cold energy that emanated from the land beneath her. It seemed to come from creature sealed away against it's will. The support mage was cold -she shivered, wrapping her arms around her herself to keep warm but even the chilly wind seemed to become even colder and creep into her very bones.

Then it disappeared -the feeling of hatred, cold and darkness vanished with no trace. The brunette straightened and opened her eyes that she had closed in pain and terror. Very rarely, if ever, did magic affect her in such a way. Her very own magic had rebelled against the invader and its power and the emotions that were infused into that magical might.

Blue eyes scanned the are once more -it was normal once again, nothing out of the ordinary flow of the lands' magic. Nothing to prove that what she had felt had been real. Turning her attention to the questioning and worried feelings that Natsu was projecting Alexa sighed. She tried to reassure him with a wave of calm thoughts, but the fire user wasn't about to drop the matter. He was quickly making his way toward her location. It wasn't long before she saw the jet of fire as the dragon slayer jumped to the roof with the help of his magic.

"You okay?!" The salmon haired mage rushed over to his bonded and Alexa gave a weak smile.

"I'm fi…ne…" She couldn't continue since her vision blurred. Then she blacked out.

Natsu shouted in alarm as he quickly caught the falling brunette in his arms. Slowly lowering the other mage to the slanted roof he tried to shake her awake. Natsu watched in alarm as several dark streaks appeared in the dark hair of the support mage. The normally slightly tanned skin was pale as snow and her eyes sockets seemed darker -sunken. The normally barely noticeable veins became darker and more prominent. The fire mage was scared, because in that moment the bond felt cold, alive but cold.

Igneel had always been very keen on teaching him everything about the dragon mating- it was an important part of the dragon's culture and the dragon slayer usually inherited a great deal of those instincts and traits. When he had been young the dragon had always skimmed over the mating part, something that was apparently not important since it was an instinctual thing. The progression of the bond had always been a bigger focus -the nurturing of that thing that connected the bonded people was important for the survival of both partners and their happiness.

First was the moment of birth -the moment when both partners were born and took their first breath the bond came to existence. After that it was a matter of if the bonded would meet -some did while most people didn't. After meeting the bond would solidify, it became something that connected the partners on a physical and on an emotional level. Depending on the strength of the bond, and the people that it a was a part of it then took some time to fully form -this was the stage where he and Alexa were. After the bond was complete it would have normally meant the happy ever after.

Dragons, however, needed to mate their partner to finalize the bond. The mating was twice a year, November and May. It was possible for the time and the intensity of the season to vary depending on the species of the dragon and the power of the bond. For the dragons that were still searching for their bonded this time was usually just a time of increased sensitivity -better smell, sight, hearing and taste. Part of it was of course a slight sexual frustration but nothing overwhelming -just a normal horniness for a couple of weeks. Irritating yes, but in no way something that would cause a handicap in a fight.

Once a dragon or a dragon slayer found their mate that would change -the need to claim the bonded became their one goal, and the pain that came with every minute of not having claimed the other was pure agony for a dragon. In the peak of the season usually after the first few days of sex, the claiming or marking took place. It was bite from a dragon slayer- their own magic infused with their dragon blood entering the mate from the tips of the fangs. This happened automatically in a moment driven by pure instinct. After this the season would usually start to decline, ending in a few more days. After this the bond was solid -the purest and most powerful connection that two people could have.

The most important time was, despite the significant moment of claiming, the nurturing of the bond. During this time the more the bonded pair spent time together the faster the bond grew and more powerful it would become -it was usually a time spanning several years, but as Natsu had found for dragons it was far shorter, only a few months at best. It was short time to fully trust a person in human logic. That's why the bond was far stronger between dragon slayers and their bonded one -there was no time to wait and grow truly accustomed to everything about the other person. Both had to trust that the bond had chosen a correct person for their life partner. Natsu trusted that bond, as he knew that Alexa did as well. They were happy, they liked each other, and they trusted each other -at this point the strength of the bond was already greater than the had ever hoped, they were tied emotionally.

Each bond was unique -the strength and the power that came with the bond varied greatly. Some bonds were barely even there while others were like the one, he and Alexa shared, powerful and brilliant. There were other differences -all bonds connected the partners on an emotional level, intertwined the magic of the bonded, gave them power and feeling of love. The amount of the effect that bond had was entirely dependent on its power. Natsu was sure that their bond was on the more extreme end of the scale. The way their magic slotted together, the way their powers seemed to grow every day, the way they understood each emotion that came to the others mind and the feeling of absolute love and devotion -it was all a sign that their bond was powerful. And Natsu was afraid of that in some way -the loss of that bond could easily kill them. He was worried that they couldn't handle the sealing, he worried that they would both die.

But what had always stood out in Natsu's mind had been Igneels' warning of something that the fire dragon had called "freezing". It was a term that he had used to describe the moment when the other partner was in danger -the bond would simply go silent and cold. Not dead, but not giving that familiar feeling of safety and love either. It was warning -that the bond was being tested and that the other bonded was in grave danger.

The fire dragon slayer felt his blood freeze in terror.

FAIRY TAIL

Mirajane gave smile as another fight broke out in the guild. It had been several days since the main trouble makers had departed for their mission, but the guild was rowdy as ever. Lisanna had taken on a request with the thunder legion at her request. Mira had wanted to talk to Laxus alone, but the lightning mage was always surrounded by the three mages, so she never had the privacy that she wanted -especially since she wanted to talk about something that had been bothering her for several weeks.

There had been several missions that hadn't fit into the usual requests came to the guild -one asking for an escort to a different country, and another asking to protect someone from something. Nothing had seemed odd, until Mira had looked at the area where the contracts took place in -it was the border of Fiore, the eastern border. When several dozen requests for wizard protection came through, Mira started to get worried.

There had been no news of a conflict breaking out in the area, but the contracts were all worded as though the palce was filled with maneating monsters and lunatics that murdered anything that come close to the border. Mirajane wasn't one to get paranoid but she liked to be careful and the number of requests that seemed to indicate a dangerous area seemed to be increasing. The eastern kingdom was a place where few wizards wandered to -it was a desert land, with one great capital and tiny towns and villages scattered about. The military was mostly non-magical, and the few mages specialised in wind or water magic -one to control the environment and one to produce water to the citizens of the dry country.

There was little traffic between the countries -only several merchant groups would cross the border every few months and several diplomats, researchers and other individuals would dare to cross the desert that awaited them on the other side. It was known that it took several weeks to reach the capital using the normal travel means -the caravans that travelled from town to town. There were no paths or streets in the desert sands and only those who frequented the desert, crossed it hundreds of times or lived in the area, could safely guide visitor's trough to the other side and back again.

Because of this and the fact that there were no border towns and neither side of the border held anything valuable there had been no conflicts. Mirajane had worked in the are on several jobs when she had been younger but never crossed the border and the people from the desert kingdom had never caused trouble. As such she was worried and she was turning to the only person who could help her -the only person at the guild who was powerful enough to take on anything or escape from any threat too great to defeat on his own. Laxus was also quite stealthy if he wanted to be -his banishment from the guild had given him a much humbler attitude and he had always seemed quite respectful to the clients even before that. She hoped that he could investigate and see what was causing such stir among the people at the border.

Casting a quick glance at the guild hall she saw that most were preoccupied with the fight and the few that were not exchanging blows were not at the bar and seemed to have no interest of her comings or goings now. Mirajane quickly made her way up the stairs and hurried to one of the balconies further back. Laxus was waiting for her when she arrived -she had passed him a note with his last drink. The blond man acknowledged her with a nod, and she gave a short smile in return.

"What is it? It seemed urgent?" Laxus inquired as he leaned against the railing and Mirajane leaned her arms on the balcony as well before turning her attention to the lightning mage.

"Have you heard anything about the eastern border?" She asked and Laxus turned to her fully with a serious look but shook his head.

"A few people going missing, merchants who are unwilling to cross the border, people unwilling to guide the caravans trough the desert, trade basically stopping as the traders are either stuck at the capital or at the border, famine and huge lack of water along with fighting and rebelling not to mention the reports of desert pirates and bandits." Mirajane listed as she gazed out to the ocean that was laid before their eyes. She cast a searching look at Laxus.

"The eastern kingdom is a peaceful from what I know -their trade is with their northern neighbours mostly so they don't have a lot of contact with Fiore." Laxus answered her and then turned to face the ocean as well. His gaze was calculating, already knowing what Mirajane was going to ask from him. "You want me to go see what's going on in the area?" He asked and white haired mage nodded to him.

"It could be nothing. After the invasion… things have been more unstable here and in the neighbouring countries. But… The eastern kingdom has always been a peaceful place, the last recorded war that it was involved with was at a time before Zeref. They didn't take part in the trade wars so…" She trailed off and saw from the corner of her eye as Laxus stood straight and cast a smile toward her.

"I'll go. See you later." He told her and Mirajane also stood and cast a grateful look to him.

"Please be safe." She told him and the blond mage nodded before vanishing in a flash. The takeover mage turned to look at the ocean few for a moment before shivering as the cold winds lashed at her uncovered arms. The oldest of the Strauss siblings turned and headed back inside the guild hall.

FAIRY TAIL

Alexa woke up slowly. Her body seemed sluggish and her eyes seemingly refused to open. She stayed still for a while, giving up the struggle of getting up or even moving at all. She could sense Natsu nearby trough the bond that pulsed with worry. Someone else was holding her hand -most likely checking her pulse but she couldn't identify the person because her magic was just as unresponsive as her limbs. She could hear faint voices but soon tuned them out when she couldn't make out what they were saying. She returned to her slumber, sure that she was safe.

FAIRY TAIL

The sun was setting. The red sky seemingly bled into the waterfront before her. Juvia stood stock still her right hand clutching her shirt above her heart. Her hair had been freed and she had abandoned the jacket she would have normally worn. The top and her skirt flowed with the ice-cold winds that seemed to race across the ocean surface, bringing with them white topped waves that crashed against the rocks that lined the shore.

The water mage stared into the scarlet water -her eyes reflecting the deep red of the sun. Juvia stood alone, the winds of the coming winter causing her to shiver with dread. Turning to look at the mountain range in the distance she wished for the first time that she was anywhere else at that moment. She only wished that Gray would stay safe as the cold winds and harsh waves crashed against the rock below. The water mage cast a longing look to the town where she had been staying.

The job had been a simple one -protect a nobleman's art collection from a rival who had hired a wizard the ruin an expedition. She had done the job, got the rogue wizard and handed him to the correct authorities. She was supposed to head back to guild come morn but she doubted that she could sleep in the village the coming night. The bleeding sky and the cold winds seemed to keep everyone up -the children cried and the adults seemed nervous and fidgety. The elders preached about the terrors that could be the only cause for the bleeding sky while the sceptics scoffed but nevertheless huddled together with their friends and family.

Juvia could see the ordinary people trembling in fear and she as a mage could sense the darkness. It seemed to pulse gently in the ocean, the feeling of terror crashing against the shore along with he waves. She was sure that only those, that were either adapt at using water or earth magic or had powerful sensory abilities, could feel this darkness. She shivered as another wave brought with it the feeling of hate and terror. Closing her eyes and then opening them again after slow breath she gazed at the ocean once more.

The water seemed hostile, and the blue haired mage was hesitant to even touch it. As she contemplated if she should a powerful wave came and broke against the boulders. The clear droplets flew far and one landed on her pale cheek. It was much more concrete feeling than before. The feeling of hopelessness. The feeling of an overwhelming hate and sorrow that seemed to bring her to her knees. And it did.

Juvia slowly slipped down, her head filled with images of unimaginable terror and scenes of death and war that seemed to go on endlessly. She could not tell if they were magic from the ocean, caused by something that lay somewhere far away or if it was her own mind conjuring these images based on the terror that seemed to radiate from the vast expanse before her. Then it vanished. The feeling of relief filled the water user and Juvia slowly opened her eyes. The darkness had vanished. The feeling of terror was gone. The oppressing thing that had been pressing against her, that had been tainting the sky and the ocean before her, was gone. But the uneasiness remained.

The water mage gazed at the ocean. Once again peaceful though not calm. The sun had set and the last vestiges of its rays slowly faded leaving purple in it's wake. The red was gone. The town seemed to quiet. The winds that whipped around her seemed to lose their edge. The icy terror in her gut eased. Juvia turned away from the setting sun and walked back to the village slowly. The feeling of something being wrong still bothered her but there seemed to be nothing amiss.

Just before she reached the edge of the village she turned to see the moon and as her eyes fell upon it she froze. The moon, though not full, was red, red as the sun had been and it seemed to shine in the dark night sky. Juvia rarely felt terror, but the darkness that the ocean had carried seemed to pale I comparison to the moon that now slowly climbed to the its zenith. The blood moon was never seen as a very good omen. And when the sun bled and when the moon shone red there was truly a cause to worry.

Juvia prayed that her beloved and her friends would stay safe as the blood moon shone high above her. She prayed and closed her eyes as another icy blast swept past her and into the empty streets of the village. The water mage headed into the only inn of the town and closed the blinds before laying down and slowly forcing herself to a wistful slumber. The moon shone bright as the night dragged on. The darkness creeping to every corner, followed by the icy winds. The screams of people lost to time passed the town, and travelled onto the next. The few that could sleep saw nightmares and the ones tuned into the magic of the land and the sea felt the pain, the terror and the sorrow. Something had awakened.

FAIRY TAIL

The group had not moved from the mansion as the sunset and night arrived. They were not going to move the support mage that laid on the couch of the living area. Her dark hair formed a halo around her pale face that regained much of its colour since her initial collapse. Eza was still perusing the books in the library, while Gray was rifling through the kitchen in search of food for the group. Natsu was pacing in front to the large window that showed a few of the front lawn. He had been at it for three hours and even Lucy couldn't pull him out of it. Lucy for her part was still sitting next to the unconscious mage and carefully keeping an eye on her pulse and breathing.

There had been no change from the first moment that Natsu had barged into the library with the support mage in his arms. She was still pale though slowly regaining her colour and her breathing was still deep and her heart beat strong and steady. None of that seemed to calm Natsu who was still worried about their bond and the fact that he had been blocked out. Not once since creating the bond, after it had developed to the point that it allowed them to feel the other's presence and mental state, did they block the other consciously or unconsciously. That was the reason that he had been awakened by her distress the night before. She had allowed him in. And now, by the power of something else, the connection lay frozen.

Lucy cast a glance at the darkness that had settled outside. The moon shone gently though she had glimpsed its red façade and knew that the uneasiness she felt was shared by her teammates. Running a soothing thumb over the cool hand of the unconscious mage, Lucy turned to gaze at her still figure. Though recovering, her icy was cool to the touch and the steady heartbeat was slower than what Lucy though it should be. The dark streaks in her hair were still there and Lucy cast another worried glance to the sunken eyes.

Because of the blond mage was looking at the brunette she was the first to see as she stirred. Second was Natsu who must have heard her moving or the bond awakening. The support mage opened her eyes -the deep blue shining in the light that came from the lanterns around the room. They had wanted to keep the light to minimum for when she woke. All of them had experienced the pain from too bright lights after fainting or being knocked unconscious during a fight. It was never a pleasant experience.

"You're awake. How are you feeling?" Lucy asked, careful to keep her voice soft but nevertheless alerting Gray that she had awoken. The ice mage came to the room a few seconds later as the support mage answered.

"A bit sluggish, but fine otherwise." Alexa answered with a slight smile. She turned to Natsu who seemed to wait for her acknowledgement. Upon receiving it he seemed to hurry to her side and kneeling besides the couch. He reached out and Alexa held out her hand. He took it and leaned forward until his head pressed against her side and stayed there just breathing her in and feeling their bond. Lucy turned to Gray who gave her a questioning look. She shook her head before nodding toward the library where Erza was. The ice mage left the room quietly.

Alexa had turned toward the dragon slayer and embraced his kneeling form with the hand that he wasn't holding. She bowed her head, quietly feeling the bond and feeling him, there with her. The peace lasted until Erza and Gray returned to the room. The red-haired wizard turned her attention to the pair and then met Alexa's awaiting gaze.

"What happened?"

A/N  
I'm very sorry. I hope that people aren't too upset... it's just that the last year has been absolutely insane and the studies the exams... You know how it can be when you have million + one things on your plate and then the plate falls and breaks and you have to crawl around, trying to find the things that were on the plate and the pices of the plate and then you find some and not others... Yeah, like that. So no, I'm never giving in and thus this will be finished... someday. Since it's summer it's gonna offer me more time to work on this but studies shall take priority in a situation where I must choose between the updates or my exams etc. So I hope you can forgive for that.

Check the grammar, if somethings amiss you can tell me and/or forgive since English is not my first or second language.

Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated and if you have any questions I will answer them. Thank you!


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Question of faith

The stone was cold, radiating outward to the small tunnel and sending shivers down Lucy's spine. The stone steps were steep and even tough the path was lit by torches it seemed to go on forever. The celestial mage had no idea how the red-haired mage had managed to go and do a preliminary investigation of the site. Lucy would have passed out had she been descending the stairs into the pitch-black oblivion that it had been a few hours prior. The stone walls of the tunnel were rough and dark, sucking in the light and leaving only a faint glow of the fire to light the path downward.

Lucy looked up sharply as Alexa appeared next to her -she had been walking in the front with Natsu only a moment ago. Looking back at the fire mage Lucy saw that he was conversing with Gray who seemed calm but annoyed. They were several dozen steps ahead of them and Erza even more so. Lucy turned her attention from the scarlet haired mage to the one by her side. She seemed fully recovered, but in the torch light Lucy could tell that she was much too pale. If they could have delayed the sealing they would have, the blond knew, but there simply was no time. That was something that the support mage had made clear after waking up.

FAIRY TAIL

 _"What happened?"_

 _Alexa shifted her so that she could sit at the edge of the couch and looked at the armour-clad mage with a steady expression. Alexa could remember everything that had happened. There were just no words that could describe half of the things she knew and remembered from that moment. The things that the darkness, the cold and hateful magic had told her -there was no name for them._

 _"Whatever lies beneath this, whatever was locked away by that seal… it's awake. And it's tainting the land. That's what I felt." Her voice was quiet. There were no words for the feelings of terror, of the helplessness and hopelessness that had come with that magic. She never wanted to feel it again._

 _"It's awake?" Gray asked and sat down opposite of her. Alexa nodded._

 _"It has been for a while. The mansion, the village, the fields, the people and everything else. Everything has already been tainted with darkness from it." The support mage felt the tightening hold of Natsu's hand who pressed closer, seeking comfort as the bond pulsed gently. Alexa smiled and squeezed his hand in return.  
_

 _"How can that be? We didn't sense anything when we came here." Erza pondered and Alexa turned her attention back to the female knight._

 _"The taint was very subtle, even I didn't notice it straight away. If one is not connected with the magic of the earth or attuned to the darkness of this magic, then you would never know. I just realised it when the creature spread its power today. The pulse was strong enough that I noticed it -no actually I noticed the feelings that came with it…" The brunette explained and then ran a hand through the dragon slayer hair. He shifted and slowly rose up and then sat down besides her. Their hands were still clasped, and Alexa didn't even blink as the fire user leaned against her shoulder. He seemed exhausted._

 _"Was that the reason you collapsed?" Gray asked when the silence had dragged on for a while. His gaze was intense -he was looking at her with shadowed eyes. She could see his doubts and his fears in that moment. He wanted her to wrong. And he feared that she was right and that whatever ley beneath the house was awake and readying shred its chains._

 _"Yes. I was reaching out with my own magic when the wave came -it was powerful and since I wasn't prepared for it my own magic fought against the intruder. While I was able to push it back, it had done more damage than I had anticipated. In order to get rid of the remainder of the energy left in my body, my magic basically burned it away -instinctually. Unfortunately, the result was that I collapsed -the energy that took and the strain that it placed on my body was more than I could cope with at that moment, caught unprepared as I was." The bond pulsed with worry and Alexa once again quickly assured the dragon slayer that all was in order. "Sorry for giving you such a scare."_

 _Erza nodded before turning to Gray. "Anything to eat?" She asked and the ice mage stood up. "Yeah, I'll bring something over so we can eat." He headed to the kitchen._

 _Lucy had turned to Alexa and handed her a glass of water. The support mage took it gratefully and gave the blond mage a nod of thanks. The brunette took several small sips before setting the glass aside and moving her free hand to run through the dragon slayers' hair. The fire wizard seemed to perk up at the touch and then relaxed more. The bond, which had been cold and unresponsive had been slowly coming back to life -now it was almost back to normal. Alexa smiled as she received a feeling of relief from the mage leaning against her side._

 _Erza had sat down and placed a book that she had been carrying down on the table in the middle of the chairs the group was occupying. Alexa turned her attention to her and saw the red-haired mage frown down at the tome. Before she could ask anything, the ice mage wandered back to the living area, carrying a tray of sandwiches and another tray with a large teapot and cups. The dark-haired mage had also lost his shirt, but Alexa was getting used to it. The trays were placed down, and the group moved to eat. When everyone was finally eating, and the silence had dragged on for a while Erza finally put down her cup and picked up the book. Erza flipped the book open and flipped pages until she found the correct one and stopped._

"The day was dark and cloudy. The monster's screams were just as present as the day before. The folk were terrified, and I must admit that I too was scared. Never had I seen such a creature -larger than the houses in the town square, it's length that of the fields in the south. It's voice shaking the trees and the earth. The very air vibrating as it screamed. I have never been as scared as I was on that day. Thus, I wonder what kind of a person could face such a beast and not tremble in terror.

That was why their arrival was even more important. They were unafraid of the beast that had ravaged the neighbouring towns for the last three days. The woman, I remember, was clad in fine silk that was coloured noble purple. Her hair like the rays of the setting sun, her skin tone that of the sands of the desert in the far East and West. She was the one to arrive first, and at her back was the man clad in deep blue -dark hair and dark red eyes, skin darker than I remember ever seeing before or after. They gave us no names, no way to tell of their heroics.

They came to us at the dawn, dark as it was and then wondered toward the monster's lair. Nothing but screams could be heard for three days and nights. On the rainy morn of the fourth day the sound stopped. There was flash of light that seemingly lit up the sky. By the gods will the skies parted, and the rain stopped. Sun shone upon us for the first time in weeks. They returned to our village come dark and humbly requested a bit of food and a place to sleep. The town celebrated -we poured these strangers, our saviours, best of our wines, offered them the best food and at the end of the night offered them the best beds.

Come morn they had vanished. Several weeks later a woman that we had never seen wondered to the village. She inquired after the monster and after retelling what had happened, she asked us to stay away from the place where the fight had happened. We did and we have been keeping people away. Some time ago the woman came here with a young couple who are now building a house on the site of the battle. I hope to gods that they come to their senses and leave. That monster still lurks there, defeated but still alive. I will keep retelling this story to the moment of my death -in order to prevent these people from ever having to feel the terror that came with the monsters screams.

-Ealdorman, X352"

 _Alexa looked at the book like it had offered all the answers she had ever had but at the same time had told her that the sun was blue, and the moon was her unborn child. This was what they had been looking for but as she went over every bit of information in her head the less it helped her. The information while valuable and incredibly useful was also useless. This person had not seen the fight and while he knew how big the beast was, he had no idea what it was or had any clear idea what it looked like._

 _"It doesn't really help us… but at least we know that the sealing took quite a while." Erza said as she closed the book and laid it down on the table once again. Lucy looked slightly spooked and Gray frowned. Natsu had sat up during the time Erza had been reading and was now looking at the tome with a frown as well._

 _"So… either those two wizards lacked power and the beast is a piece of cake or they were strong and the thing was just that though…" Gray muttered and Alexa sighed. Her senses were still a bit muddy but slowly sharpening as she reached around the house again. The whole mansion felt colder than the day before and when the brunette glanced at Lucy she could see that the blond was also a bit fidgety. The celestial mage was finely tuned to the shifts of energy and now that she new what to look for and was expecting she was also getting the chills. The blue eyes narrowed. No weak creature could cause such an potent aura._

 _"It's strong. Nothing short of extremely powerful would be able to take me off guard and invade my body since I have such a fine-tuned control over Ether. This was something powerful and most importantly malicious." Erza turned to her where she had been conversing with Gray about the book. The knight nodded slowly and then her frown deepened._

 _"This thing is a serious threat…" The voice was drowned out by the surge that Alexa felt. It was like the one she had felt earlier that day. This time she was prepared and she quickly channelled magic to form a shield around the group. The others barely had time to blink as a golden shield surrounded the them and then they too noticed it. The feeling of darkness that seemed to engulf everything outside the shield. The pulse was more powerful than the last time and the intensity showed as the shield cracked. The oppressive feeling mounted before suddenly vanishing._

 _Alexa slowly let the shield shatter after the last pieces of the hostile energy disappeared. Erza looked at the tome for a moment before turning to assess the team. Her gaze met the deep blue eyes._

 _"The seal…" The reequip mage didn't need to continue. Alexa nodded before turning to look outside. She could see the shine of the red moon and the darkness of the night. There was no time. "It will break soon. We have to do this now." Her tone was final, and the dragon slayer turned to her with an alarmed expression._

 _"What, you're not fully recovered, you just woke up!" His voice was heavy with worry and Alexa shook her head. "I'm fine. If we're talking about power reserves then I'm ready to go, but my senses are still a bit dull. That should however not last for more than a few hours."_

 _The support mages reassurances did little to calm the pink haired wizard down. The bond pulsed with anxiety and worry. Alexa really hated making him worry but the time was short. The power of that last wave was too great -another day and the seal could be beyond repair. They couldn't risk that. Not if they wanted to complete this job and safe the people in the area. This monster could not walk free._

 _Natsu seemed to sense her resolve and he looked at her with anxious but determined eyes. "Fine but leave the heavy lifting to others on this one." His voice left little room for argument and Alexa smiled and nodded._

 _"I'll go down first." Erza's voice was met with instant protesting which the red-haired mage cut shirt with a commanding wave of her hand. Her eyes burned as she stood and marched to the door that lead to the underground cave. "We must know what where are walking into -if anything is amiss, I can flee or fight the best from this group. In the meantime, Aelxa, you should concentrate on your recovery." Alexa nodded and the armour-clad woman took out the key to the door and opened it. She shot a determined look over her shoulder and disappeared down to the oblivion._

FAIRY TAIL

The group reached the last stretch of stairs. Erza stopped a few feet from the bottom step and waited as the rest reached her. Lucy sighed as her feet touched the cave floor and she turned to the rest of the group. Erza, who had taken her leader position and watched the surroundings with a keen eye, Gray who flanked her left side, Natsu who took her right side with Alexa standing a step further back and in between the red-haired mage and the dragon slayer. Lucy stood beside her -taking the space behind Erza and Gray, turning so she could see their backs and the staircase behind them.

The group moved as one as they traversed the dark cavern, their lit only by the torch in Erza's hand and the flame that Natsu cradle in his hand. Lucy surveyed the area that the little amount of light allowed her to see -the path that they walked was smooth and its edges were decorated with carvings that she couldn't read. All around them were large pillars that emerged from the ground and reached into the darkness that lay far above them. Every bit of stone glimmered when the light bounced of its surface. Every so often she spotted carvings and paintings, all depicting battle scenes and some strange language that the blond didn't know and thus had no idea what it said. It was strange -the symbols were harsh but at the same time rounded and soft. It flowed gently across almost all surfaces that she could see.

They had been walking for well over fifteen minutes before they seemed to arrive at the right place. It was a shrine of some kind. To large pillars stood at each side of a stone table that rested upon several stone slabs that formed stairs. The area in front of the table was large enough for two people to kneel on. Above the altar, hanging a few feet of the table was a large gem -it was attached with chains to the boulder behind the table. The boulder was huge -it seemed to go on forever in every direction and only the gentle curve gave away the fact that it wasn't a part of the cave's natural structure.

Natsu moved forward to light the torched that lined the area round the altar. The fires came to life surrounding the altar in a large semi-circle. Lucy could see better with the fires alight and she could see the back wall behind the large boulder that rested against it. Her attention was drawn to the jewel that hung upon the chains. It was large, easily larger than her palm. In the light of the fires it shone purplish, but she could see that it was dark blue, with hints of green and gold mixed in it.

The celestial mage turned to see Alexa slowly step toward the altar. Once again Lucy was struck by the image of her -the dark hair had been gathered into three braids that began from the very front which had then been braided together, forming one large and complex braid. She was clad in a high collared shirt with no sleeves and black pants that resembled the ones that Lucy had used to worn when riding. The brunette had opted for black leather shoes with a low heel that wouldn't be a hindrance in a fight. As she stepped up to the altar and stood upon in, Lucy saw something beautiful and for a moment felt a power in the air. The fire cast shadows that seemed to flatter the support mage and at the same time gave her face the harshest expression.

Lucy stood still -her breath seemed to freeze. The woman in front of her -this woman who suddenly appeared in their lives- was powerful. To what extent Lucy couldn't even guess. But she could feel the power in that moment. The magic seemingly crackled in the hair and it was warm. It felt safe. Lucy basked in the feeling for a moment longer before reaching for her keys and gripping them in her hand. She could feel the power and she could feel the answering power that reminded her of the suns blazing heat. The blond opened her eyes and saw that the dragon slayer had moved to stand next to the support mage. The blue eyes rested upon the fire user before she nodded and turned back to the three mages who stood below them. She nodded to Erza.

"We can start." Her voice was determined, and Lucy wondered what gave her such confidence in that moment, because even without being a very good at sensory magic, Lucy could feel the darkness, the hate and the killing intent that surrounded them. Erza nodded and turned to her two companions.

"Our job is to keep Natsu and Alexa safe, this thing will undoubtedly want to end the sealing ritual before it can end." Erza said and Lucy and Gray nodded. The celestial mage once again sought out the deep blue eyes and found them. The brunette was frowning at them. The support mage turned to Natsu and then back to the group. She made a motion in the air and her eyes flashed gold.

" **Ether magic: First Stage**!" Lucy blinked as her body was surrounded in golden light that seemed to wrap around her body in a protective sheen. The magic was warm and seemed so natural it felt like it had always been there. Curiously moving her arm, she found that the magic didn't hinder own movements. Lucy reached for her keys and flicked her arm as she grasped the correct one.

" **Open, gate of the Lion**!" The orange haired spirit appeared in a flash of light and bowed to his master as Lucy turned the key to herself. " **Star dress: Leo form**!" After the magic of the support mage and the key mixed, she was left dressed in the dress, but this time there seemed to be additional protective guards at her shoulders, forearms and calves. They didn't hinder her movements or weigh her down -they were light and seemingly made for her.

"My lady, how can I be of service?" Lucy didn't blush at the compliment, far too used to Lokes' antics.

"We may have a fight on our hands soon. I need you to watch my back and protect Alexa and Natsu." Lucy told him and the leader of the zodiac cast a sharp glance at the pair standing on the altar. The orange haired spirit gave bow but looked quizzically at the brunette. Lucy couldn't fault him, the pair standing in the light of the fire was in deep conversation, standing with their foreheads almost touching, hands clasped together. Lucy felt that familiar pang in her chest but at the same time she felt a realisation come to her -the reason that the brunette was so sure and determined. She loves Natsu and she trust him with her life. And he trust her with his life. And he loves her. It was a humbling thing to realize the power that thrummed in the air around them wasn't their magical power but the bond that they shared. And Lucy felt herself smile in wonder.

FAIRY TAIL

 _"You don't have to do this, we could wait." His voice was soft but Alexa heard the concern in it. She stopped braiding her hair for a moment before shaking her head gently, careful not to disrupt her hair too much. She glanced at the dragon slayer where his form was reflected in the mirror she was sitting in front of and then continued the braiding as she answered._

 _"Yes I do. We don't have the luxury of waiting. Even if the seal would hold another week, the damage would be too severe to repair then. We must do this now -in order to protect the people living here and that family. We can't let this creature out." Her voice was determined, and she reflected that feeling trough the bond as well. The feelings she received in return were ruled by concern and, to her surprise, resignation. He knew that there was nothing that could change her mind and he would go along with. Reluctantly but still. Pinning the end of the third braid she started braiding the three together._

 _"I know, but… but what happened today… I guess I just… I just want us to be careful." His voice was tired, and Alexa felt ashamed. She had caused a great deal of distress, worry and fear to her team and most importantly to Natsu and now, without any delay she was jumping into danger and dragging the whole group with her. She lowered her gaze to the table where the mirror was situated._

 _"I'm sorry. I know it scared you." Her answer was meek and she knew it. Natsu hadn't been scared, he had been terrified. He had thought that she was going to die in his arms when she had collapsed on that roof. She couldn't imagine the terror that he must have felt. And she never wanted to feel like that._ Screams of people dying as the city collapsed around them, the bond straining, scream of terror _-the image vanished as soon at it came and Alexa promptly pushed it out of her mind. She turned to face the fire user and saw his gaze search out her eyes._

 _"It wasn't you fault… there's nothing to apologize for." The dragon slayer was suddenly striding toward her from where he had been standing in the doorway of the bedroom. He stopped in front on her and Alexa lowered her hands from her half-finished braid. She was sitting in front of a dressing table. He reached out and ran his fingers along one of the braids. Alexa leaned into the touch with a sigh and felt as the bond seemed to vibrate with power, love and trust. "I promise I'll protect you. I'll keep you safe. So… just promise that you'll stay with me."_

 _Alexa watched his eyes, the fire in them diminished by the fear of losing his bonded. The brunette smiled; the tilt of her lips gentle as she regarded him. "I'll be with you until the end." Natsu nodded but didn't smile. His fingers moved to her half-finished braid and continued where she had left off. His fingers were gentle, and Alexa watched him intently. He was still too… The silence dragged on as the dragon slayer slowly finished the braid._

 _Alexa regarded the finished result. It was pretty good considering it was his first-time braiding hair. A fed strand could have been better twisted and it was a bit looser at one point. For Alexa it was perfect. And with a bit of practise he would be as good as her. She smiled as she though about teaching him and then letting him help her as she readied for the day or for bed. The though was so random and at the same time it filled her with so much love. Oh, how much she loved him. There were no words how much._

 _Alexa turned her head and regarded him as he tied the ends of the braids with a tie. She smiled and turned when he let the braid fall from his hands. "I could use another pair of hands when doing my hair -it can get tiring doing intricate braids. I'll teach you when we get back to Magnolia." Her words seemed to wake him. His eyes brightened and locked onto hers. The fire -which had been dim, was now growing with every second that passed._

 _"When we get home?" He asked and Alexa nodded as she stood. The bond seemed to solid in that moment. The feeling of love all encompassing. They were whole, they were loved, and they were together. The kiss happened without too much thought. It was like a promise. Soft, filled with love and oh so sweet and fulfilling. It brought so much joy and happiness that the support mage thought she might faint a second time that day._

 _They parted and smiled, the moment stretching on as they stood close. She had longed for this and she knew that so had he. This feeling of love and safety was so much more than anything else in their lives. For Natsu the only things that could begin to rival it were the guild and Igneel. For Alexa there was only the faint memories of her happy childhood and her grandfather who had taken to guiding her after the tragedy. The bond was however even grater than that. It wasn't just the love and the feeling of safety it was the knowledge that you were accepted, everything from the darkest thoughts and secrets to the saddest moments and happiest times._

 _"We're going to be fine, and once this is finished, I promise that we're going to go on a real date." Alexa told him and Natsu smiled._

 _"I'll take you to see the fountains, I'll walk with you along the beach, we can go shopping and eat at that place that sells Erzas' favourite cake." Natsu promised and Alexa hummed as she was wrapped in his arms. The embrace was warm, and she sighed in content._

 _"I love you." "I love you too."_

 **A/N**

 **Allright. So we're closing in on the sealing ritual. So the next chapter will either be a bit longer or a just a bit shorter than normal depending on how much I'll put into it. Or it might be just perfect. And with the next chapter we're done with the first part of the story. After this we're diving into the mystery of the desert kingdom and getting a closer look of the other characters as well as getting closer to the mating season.**

 **Hope you enjoyed! Reviews are appreciated! Shout out to Anko4Life for her continued support. Thank you!  
**

 **Please forgive my grammar mistakes since English is not my first language.**

 **Thank you! :)**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Frozen in darkness

Gray stood still as he tested his own magic and the one that surrounded him. It seemed to increase his power and more importantly it seemed to settle into him and around him to defend his body from any blows or injuries. Increasing his damage resistance and defensive abilities by a huge margin was a feat that not many could accomplish, and Gary felt grateful to Alexa as he watched Lucy summon Loke. He saw the changed outfit the celestial mage wore, and he turned his eyes to Erza who seemed to also watching Lucy. The red-haired mage closed her eyes and in a flash of light changed her armour. It was the Heaven's Wheel and Gray sighed as he started to gather magic in preparation.

The ice mage risked a glance at Erza and saw that the armour seemed even more shiny than it had been previously and that the blades and her amour had faint engravings on them. It seemed that all of them had gained a massive boost of defensive powers via Alexa. He turned to see the brunette and the flame brain holding hands but now the conversation had they had been having in faint whispers seemed to come to an end. The dragon slayer and the support mage took a step apart and assessed their protective detail. Gray saw Alexa nod to Lucy and then the ice mage noticed that the fire user was giving him a firm look. Gray nodded to him, reassuring that he had their back. They would keep the pair safe.

"Let's start." Erza commanded and Lucy and Gray replied an automatic "Roger."

They spread out into a semicircle -Erza taking the front and Gray taking her right side and Lucy taking the left. They gazed into the darkness and Gray felt, more than saw how the shadows seemed to shift as the pair upon the altar kneeled and clasped each other's hands. There was no chant nor any naming of the technique, only the low hum of magic that started to flow around the pair and then increasing slowly. As it did, so did the unsettling feeling along his spine. Gray surveyed the area slowly, carefully looking for anything in the shadows. He saw nothing but he felt the hate and the blood lust in the air. Something was laying in wait, but it wasn't making move. Yet.

Gray waited as the pair upon the altar kneeled and joined hands. The magic in the air intensified, it's concentration reminding Gray of the particles he felt radiate form the Etherion blast that they had witnessed during their initial scuffle with Jellal. It was all consuming and the magic, though not directed at them was still pulsing in the air. As a golden light started to form around the bonded pair the shadows started to move. It slunk back, avoiding the bright light of the sealing ritual but after a moment the inky darkness started to circle them.

"Get ready!" Erza's call echoed around them and as soon as Gray heard the command he saw the shapes. Human like figures emerged from the shadows. They stood still for a moment before charging. Gray grunted and slammed bodily against one of them. The feeling of being frozen, burned and ripped apart flashed trough his body and mind. Quickly pulling back the ice mage jumped several feet backwards before feeling for his magic.

" **Ice-Make: Sword!** " The blade formed into his hand and he quickly sliced the figure -the shadow wavered and then melted back to the mass of darkness behind it. "Damn it." He couldn't say for sure that the blow would kill them -or if they just retreated into the darkness to heal, or if they even had to heal at all.

Gray saw as more emerged from the shadows. The ice mage glanced toward the two other mages and saw that Erza was frowning as well and Lucy stood at ready but was looking at the shadows with a calculating look and leaving most of the fight to Loke. Gray didn't have long to debate as the shadows started their charge once again and the ice mage gripped his sword before attacking as well.

As the minutes dragged on the number of opponents seemed to keep increasing. Gray frowned as Lucy landed next to him after a hard punch from one of the shadows. Loke moved to engage the thing as Lucy stood back up and nodded to Gray before running back to her post. Erza seemed to become more and more frustrated as the situation dragged on. Gray glanced back at the pair still kneeling on the altar -their eyes closed with golden light engulfing their bodies. The magic in the air was still climbing but the rise slowed gradually.

Dragging his gaze back to the shapes before him the ice mage felt a faint tremor of fear running up his spine. The shapes were melting together and growing larger and as he found out when he slashed one of them, more resistant to damage. It took more than ten attacks to bring the mass down and once again it melted back to the shadows and in its place three more appeared. He heard Erza curse and Lucy gasp and Gray gritted his teeth. This could end badly.

FAIRY TAIL

Natsu gripped the soft hands in his. He felt the magic swirl trough both of their bodies. His burning flame running in their veins and her soft and warm magic encasing them while her darker magic swirled along the floor below their knees. The magic formed a shield around them -protecting them form the darkness that seemed to leer at them form every side. The bond pulsed -its power mainly directed at the gem holding the seal though a portion went to the shield around the pair and another part was directed toward the spell that Alexa had cast on their team. The dragon slayer opened his eyes after a few minutes. The magical shield around them worked not only as a protective shield but also as a wall that separated all sounds and intervening magical powers from them and the sealing ritual.

His olive eyes met the sky blue ones. The brunette was frowning and at his questioning look she nodded back to the team behind them. Because of their positions Natsu could only spot Erza and Gray before they disappeared from his sight again. The red haired wizard seemed to be holding her own against a mass of darkness that moved surprisingly quickly for its size. Erza dodged and a small crater was created on the cave floor where the darkness crashed against it. The ice wizard seemed to in slight trouble -his technique was ill suited for dealing with many powerful enemies that seemed to neither feel the ice magic nor fear it. It was obviously not a very effective element against the creatures and from the way that the ground was slowly freezing over Natsu guessed that the shadows were already quite cold. A little ice didn't seem to do that much damage. While Erza seemed to be having better success with her swords and different armours it was still quite a struggle.

"How's Lucy? Can you see her?" His voice was quiet, the sound of fighting didn't penetrate the golden orb around them and such there was no need to raise his voice.

"She's fine. She seems to be in a better position than Erza or Gray. She clearly using light element attacks which seems to be working quite well. Erza realized that as well." The support mage nodded to the armoured wizard who slashed down one of the shadows before spinning around to face the next one.

"She's not using her more powerful armours…" Natsu said and turned to Alexa who nodded.

"I'm guessing that she's settling in for the long game. My sense of time is pretty screwed at the moment but I think it has already been a while since we began. Besides while Lucy is dealing a quite a bit of damage… she's also wearing herself out faster. She summoned the archer while also keeping Loke on the field a while back and is visibly struggling. She's getting slower. Sooner or later she will have to dispel one of them." Natsu startled and hurriedly glanced back at the blonde that was fighting behind him. Alexa moved to accommodate his movement as to keep their hands clasped and bodies close.

The celestial mage stood proudly but was leaving most of the fighting to the two spirits she had summoned. She was holding the key of the Gemini in her hand, at ready to summon another spirit. He could see her visibly shudder as one of the shadows was ripped apart by Loke. The cold air blew past her and Natsu could see that she was slower. Her reactions and commands were just slightly delayed and instantly the dragon slayer turned to watch the other two. Gray had called for his devil slayer magic and was becoming more and more reckless with his movements while Erza seemed to still be fine, he could see the strain. She clutched at her sword just a bit too hard, her muscles seemed a bit more tense than under normal strain of a fight. She seemed to avoid the ground and he could see that the slash and stabbing attacks were getting fewer.

"I can sense them… only slightly but still, the support magic allows me to sense them and Erza and Lucy are both freezing up and at the same time Gray and Lucy are getting more and more tired. They have to use too much magic too quickly." She seemed to be worried and Natsu could feel himself reflecting the concern back.

The magic was still pulsing, slowly healing the seal and redoing all the spell work that laid in the original. With each new pulse the time seemed to vanish and the situation outside seemed more and more desperate. Natsu turned back to Alexa who was keeping a firm eye on Lucy. Her brow was furrowed in concern and concentration.

"How long until –" His voice was cut off by the brunette who closed her eyes and answered.

"Can't say… we're probably more than halfway there but the progress is slowing down and I'm getting more tired. The bond is also becoming more delicate." Her eyes burned with cold fire as she looked at their friends and then turned her head back to him.

"We can't keep this up much longer -neither us nor them. We have to speed it up."

"What did you have in mind?" Alexa nodded and turned her gaze to the blue jewel shining brightly above the altar. "The ritual was meant to be done slowly and with two participants who are connected with a complete and powerful soul bond giving this their all. This ritual took days when done the for the first time. After that the pairs who re-enforced it only had to put in a small part of the work that was originally done. We can't afford to do this for three days -both of us would be in grave danfer never mind the fact that our team would be killed. Back in the day when the sealing was first done they were on neutral ground, neither the territory of the creature nor the land where the wizards came from. As such there wasn't this same destructive hatred or that darkness that is slowly bringing down our team. To top it all off our bond is still new and not battle hardened, this is its first test. We can't win with the same methods as those who came before us."

"Yeah, you got a plan to get us out of this situation?" The fire user kept a steady eye on the support mage whose frown deepened. She glanced over his shoulder at Lucy who the dragon slayer couldn't see. Her eyes seemed to sharpen and her gaze returned to him.

"You're not going to like this, it's going to dangerously stupid and in the worst case scenario we're all going to die." Her voice was soft and her gaze sought out him.

Natsu grinned and clasped her hands tighter in his. "If we can stop this thing from getting out, if we can keep those people safe, then we're going to do everything to keep them safe. Besides -we can do this. Erza said we would and we can't let her down or she'll kick our asses even in the afterlife. So, tell me." Alexa gave a fond smile and then nodded.

"Alright then, here it is…"

FAIRY TAIL

Lucy made a quick back flip before bringing her whip down in a decisive blow. The mass shuddered and melted away. Slowly standing form the crouch the blonde wizard surveyed the area for her next target. There were several to choose from -the huge thing that had just emerged or the two that Loke was fighting with, or the one that Taurus was taking on. There were several other shadows that had broken trough and were heading for the glowing orb that contained her two teammates. Nodding to herself Lucy ran toward them and cracked her whip as she approached them -one of them turned to face her and charged while the other continued toward its target.

"Erza!" Her shout was answered with a sword that flew trough the air and pierced the shape as it reached the stairs. The creature fell and with the sword that had impaled it before melting back to the shadows. A second later there was a cry as the red-haired mage flew through the air with a new weapon materialising on the ground where she laid for moment after a hard landing. Lucy almost moved to helpt the other but had to turn back to her own opponent which made several swipes at her.

Dodging and then restraining the shadowy creature Lucy called out to Loke who delivered a swift kick and punch to the creature followed by Taurus cleaving it in half. The two spirits nodded to her before returning to the other shadows that emerged form the blackness that surrounded them. Lucy shuddered as the creature she had just been fighting melted in wisps of darkness before slowly slithering to the darkness.

The ground was at this point almost completely frozen over and the air was becoming colder by the minute. The celestial mage shivered before charging back into the fray with her spirits assisting and shielding her when necessary. She had dispelled Sagittarius ten or so minutes ago and switched over to Taurus when the archer had been forced into close quarters that was not the spirits strong suit. Loke was showing signs of exhaustion that indicated he would be leaving to return to the spirit world sooner or later, and Lucy was already dreading the moment.

She was tired, her body slowing down which meant that she needed to rely more on her spirits and the slower she became the more she was a burden to her companions who had to protect her. Erza had already sacrificed her sword a few times and Loke and Taurus had both taken hits to keep her unharmed. It was clear that she was becoming more of a hindrance to the team with every minute that the fight dragged on. But she could also see that Erza and Gray were also starting to tire.

Bringing her whip down to slash at another shadow she was surprised when the creature grabbed it and yanked -hard. The blonde wizard fell to one knee before letting go and looking back up -only to freeze in shock, the claw was already there, she couldn't move out of the way and from the way the large, deadly, claws were positioned she could only hope that she would die instantly. Her scream was cut out when a body was thrown between her and her death. She raised her eyes and was met with the kind eyes of Loke. The leader of the zodiac mouthed sorry before disappearing in a flurry of light.

The image remained in Lucy's mind. The sharp claws that were meant to cleave her in half buried in the spirits middle -impaling him. The darkness that seemed to be shapeless slowly moving beneath the blood that covered it. The tired and sweat covered face. The gentle and relieved smile.

"Loke!" Her scream seemed to be drowned by the pain radiating from her very core -the bond of summoner and her spirit straining to accommodate the fact that he had been - _killed, slaughtered, murdered -_ badly injured. The fact that he was most likely alive and with time would recover meant nothing, because he _had felt it._ He had felt the moment he had died. Before she could return to the present she felt another stab of pain - _Taurus-_ and a call for her name. Then her world was engulfed in pain. She screamed, her eyes screwed shut but even then she could see the light that seemed to burn trough everything and the warm feeling that swirled in the air that seemed to melt the freezing ice beneath her back - _when_ had she fallen?

After that Lucy fell to the darkness that was free of all pain. A voice that she knew roared and several others screamed for her but she didn't have the strength to answer. Then she was gone.

FAIRY TAIL

"LUCY!" Erza's scream made Gray freeze in his tracks. His gaze sought out the celestial mage and found her in time to see the monster rip into her side. The blonde was thrown back from where she had been kneeling. Gray moved with Erza as they rushed to her side.

" **Ice Devil's Zeroth Long Sword!** " His rage was matched in the power of the attack as it tear trough the monsters in the area -allowing them a brief moment of peace. The blonde wizard was screaming as blood rushed past her fingers and stained the ground beneath her. Erza was already pressing a cloth against the wound when Gray kneeled next to the pair.

Before his knees hit the earth, he saw the next creature emerge and charge at them. It was huge -a dozen times larger than the largest shapes he had fought and most likely ten times tougher to kill. This one was humanoid but had features consistent with a wolf or bear. The red eyes cleamed at them. Readying a spell Gray prepared to fight the thing to by Erza time to help Lucy but was stopped as blast of golden magic swept trough the cave. All of the darkness that the light touched seemed to melt into nothing before their very eyes. At the same time a roar that seemed to shake the cave sounded from behind the group. Gray turned to see the dragon slayer stand with Alexa clutched to his side. Her hand was extended outward into the cave while the dragon slayer was touching the jewel that held the sealing magic. As the light faded around the pair, Alexa quickly dragged Natsu with her as they ran to the group.

"How is she?" The support mage asked she kneeled next to Gray. The ice mage turned to Erza who shook her head.

"It's not good." Gray felt ice rush down his spine.

FAIRY TAIL

Alexa kneeled and placed her hands upon the cloth that Erza was firmly pressing down. She felt Natsu kneel next to her, offering his support and while also projecting fear trough the bond. Alexa couldn't bring herself to reassure him. Alexa was still pretty well off magic wise though she knew that Natsu wouldn't be able to do even a simple spell in his current state.

Light surrounded her hands as she felt for the wound and assessed the damage with a cold detachment. The wound was deep and several of the internal organs had been damaged to a degree that Alexa doubted anyone could heal her fully. There seemed to be strong traces of the dark energy form the darkness lingering in and around the wound. Alexa opened her eyes and sighed as she pulled back with a deep frown and sad eyes.

She could feel the dragon slayers emotions that swirled around the bond and Alexa shook her head as she sensed his eyes upon her form. There was nothing she could do to such wound. Even if she could pull the darkness out, there was still the huge amount of blood loss and the damage of the wound itself that she could not even hope to repair on her best day with decades of practice. She was not a healer. She had given away that ability in order to obtain the powers of Nether magic and the offensive capabilities of Ether magic.

"It's too severe. I can extract the dark magic that is poisoning her, but it will do nothing for the wound or the blood she has lost and will continue to lose." Even as she spoke she laid her hands on the wound and slowly started to extract the tendrils of inky blackness from it.

"We have to get her to a healer!" Erza said and Alexa nodded.

"Yes, but we would need a magical healer for something this severe. And we would need them right no–" Before she could continue she was interrupted as Natsu leaned against her shoulder. His eyes were screwed shut and brow creased in pain. Worry flared in Alexa as she reached out to feel the bond and was met with a backlash of pain that made her gasp. The bond was burned raw and it seemed that the effects of their reckless use of magic was coming to bite them in the ass. Diverting one of her hands from the task of healing Lucy she sought out Natsu forehead. Quickly she extended her magic to analyse his state only to find herself gritting her teeth.

The dragon slayer was far beyond exhausted and the magic depletion was quickly wreaking havoc on the dragon slayers body. He needed a magical healer almost just as badly as Lucy. Alexa doubted that they could find a qualified healer with enough magic for the two in this town or anywhere in the area. And even if they could they didn't have time to go searching for someone. Looking would take far too much time -time that neither Lucy nor Natsu had right now.

Alexa let her hand fall from Natsu's forehead and return to it's position on Lucy's stomach. The blood flow had slowed but it meant little considering the huge pool of blood beneath the celestial wizard. The support mage reached out to another black tendril, letting the golden, warm magic twirl around it before slowly melting it away. Normally she would have preferred a faster method but right now the stress would drive the blonde mage into shock and promptly kill her. Not that she wasn't already almost there.

"Natsu, stay with me, alright? Lucy I need you to hang on too!" Her voice was strained, the pain radiating from the dragon slayer and the concentration that the small healing process draining her strenght. Alexa turned to see Natsu who opened his eyes and nodded before turning his green gaze to Lucy.

"Help her…" His voice was almost a whisper, his eyes glassy but he still looked at her with an expectant look. Alexa nodded. He smiled and then passed out and Alexa grunted as his body weight collapsed fully against her.

"Oi!" Gray sounded worried as he moved to grab the dragon slayer and moving him to lay on the ground by Lucy's head. Alexa kept her eyes on the blonde in front of her but felt the bond scream out. The support mage winced but pulled the last of the dark tendrils from the wound. The blood flow slowed even further but it was clear that they needed to do something soon or Lucy would never wake again.

"Is she alright? What happened to Natsu?" Erza seemed more frantic than ever before and Alexa turned her gaze to the pink haired mage who Gray was trying to shake awake. Alexa sighed.

"Lucy's wound is bad. Very bad. I was able to get the dark energy out, so the healing process should rather straight forward if we had a medic here. We don't. And that mistake is about to cost us two teammates and then me." Alexa rubbed a frustrated hand over her eyes. Not because of the tears she felt prickling there but because the sweat was getting into her eyes. The bond was becoming more and more painful the longer that time went on. Natsu needed a healer and soon. She moved to kneel besides the dragon slayers prone form.

"What? What's wrong with him?" Gray asked and Alexa turned to the ice wizard whose eyes reflected fear and anger. He was angry because he couldn't help anyone at that moment and Alexa knew that feeling so _fucking well_. What she could do was basically useless, but she had to try anyway. She extended her hands and laid them over his chest allowing the healing magic that she knew guide her hands and heal what little it could.

"He's suffering from severe magic depletion." There was a questioning look directed at her from the red haired _knight_ and Alexa sighed before explaining. "During the sealing we realised that we wouldn't be able to complete it in time -all of us would have been killed before the sealing was done. I suggested this crazy plan where we gathered our magic into our bodies and build onto the bond, storing the magic up until it reached critical mass. Then we were going to release all of it directly into the sealing stone. It was a nice plan and would have bloody well worked if we had stuck to it. At the minute we were going to go for it I saw Lucy get hurt and sensed the fact that the creature was about to unleash something that would have brought the cave down. So we switched tactics -Natsu released all of the magic he had been able to amass into his body into the stone with a touch while I did the same but directed it all toward the darkness in the cave. Doing that sapped him off all of his magic and almost fried the bond."

Alexa felt for the bond only find it burning and freezing at the same time. She physically flinched and gasped as the bond retaliated with a surge of agony that tore trough her body. Natsu seemed to feel it as well since his body tensed and brow furrowed further in pain and anguish. _I'm sorry. I'm sorry that this is all I'm able to do._ She concentrated on lessening his pain and repairing his side of the bond. _This was my fault. I should have suggested it sooner or maybe it would have been better for us all to die. Anything but this. I can't lose you!_

The magic in her hands spread deeper into his body and healed what it could -she directed her magic to fill some of his large magical reserves to lessen the effects of the magic loss that he was suffering from and then used all of her power to repair the bond, starting from his side to lessen his pain. As soon as the pained expression started to smooth, she stopped and drew her magic back. His breathing was a bit easier, his body just a bit less tense. _This darkness that sleeps here... is this what you fear Natsu?_ Aelxa wondered, feeling the darkness that lingered - _the hate, the terror, the pain, the sorrow-_ deep within in his body, dormant. She retreated her hands. _It's alright. I'm no different._

Alexa sighed before turning her blue gaze to Lucy. She was pale and while the blood flow was slowing to almost nothing it was clear that there wasn't much time. The cave seemed darker than it had been a few minutes before. The brunette watched as her breath became visible in the cold air that swirled around the group. The torches seemed dimmer. The hateful and vengeful creature was reaching out for the last time before it's being fully submitted to the seals power. And it was going to take those Alexa held close to her heart.

" _ **Help her…"**_

Alexa didn't fear it -she never had feared the darkness or the moment of her own death. She had only ever feared the death of those close to her. She had lost the people she had called family when she had been young. After that she had wondered trough lands and cities, seen people at their happiest and at their lowest but she had always been a bystander. Then she had met him -his bright fire embracing her whole being- and his team; the knight who stood by her friends with that gentle smile but hard fists, the ice mage whose cold ice seemed to extend it's icy protection to everyone and Lucy whose light shone even brighter than Alexa's did, and whose loving and gentle heart seemed to heal all those who came into contact with her. They were now precious to her. And she wasn't about to lose them. Her life was not more precious than theirs, so she was putting it on the line as well. This could give them a change.

" _ **You're already precious to me as well!"**_

 _ **"I love you." "I love you too."**_

Her eyes burned with fire. She turned to look at Gray and Erza who saw her expression and were instantly alert.

"Erza, keep pressure on the wound and don't let go of her no matter what." The red-haired mage nodded and kept her hands firmly on the cloth that was already red with blood. The brunette turned to Gray while standing up and walking so she was a foot or so from where Lucy's legs lay on the cold stone floor. "Gray, take Natsu and lay his next to Lucy, with you sitting in between them -you'll need to brace their necks. I can't guarantee a smooth landing." The ice wizard obeyed and moved the dragon slayer before settling between the two unconscious mages and slipping his hands beneath both of their necks to protect them from an impact.

"What are you planning on doing?" Erza asked as Alexa closed her eyes and pictured the guild hall in her mind -the happiness, the energy. The emblem on her shoulder pulsed.

"I'm teleporting us back to the guild hall -or as close to is as I can. I would normally never even attempt teleporting across a continent with my magical reserves as low as this, but this is our only option right now. Even if we don't get all the way there, we should still appear close enough that someone should sense us and help Natsu, and hopefully Lucy." Alexa opened her eyes and could clearly see her destination in her mind.

" **Nether magic: Fourth Form! Thrones!"** The power swirled -her hair becoming black, sclera's became dark grey while her blue eyes turned purplish red, skin pale and greyish with dark veins running beneath her skin in branching patterns, dark wings extending to either side, almost claw like black nails emerging and teeth becoming sharper and longer.

Alexa quickly cast the teleportation magic around the group and closed her eyes -the image of the guild still clear in her head. And then, in a flash of magic they were gone from the cold cave. And then there was a moment of nothingness, where they floated in nothing, feeling, seeing and hearing nothing. It lasted for a fraction of a second before they were crashing down.

Alexa released the magic and felt her wings fade as shouts of surprise changed to those of alarm and horror. She faintly heard Erza give commands and heard someone calling her name, but it all faded to black. The last thing she remembered was the feeling of gentle hands lifting her up and carrying her before she was laid upon a soft bed. Calming and gentle hands healing and mending but there was a word that stood out among the words that were swimming trough her head -the few that she could distinguish and hear as she slowly descended to the sweet embrace of sleep: "monster". _Am I?  
_

 **A/N**

 **Hi! So... I'm happy with this. Until I decide that this whole story needs a rewrite. But for now, yes, I'm happy with it. We've reached the end of the first part of this story. Until now I've largely focussed on just Alexa and Natsu and more importantly her integration to the team. The next part of this story will dive into the life of the guild and the aftermath this first part. We're getting a more domestic look at the pairings though the focus is going to be on Alexa and Natsu as well as Gruvia with hints of Jerza and Miraxus. Also, the story is going to become more complex with new plot threads and characters and events. Hope you're ready for that!**

 **Hopefully this chapter brough the first arc into a nice close -or if you prefer you could consider the next chapther the official closing chapter. Your decision. Next post coming in the next two weeks (or so) since my studies are once again basically crashing down the door and seating themselves at the table. So I have to tend to them before the whole house comes down in flames but yeah. Hope to be posting the next chapter soon.**

 **If you enjoyed this chapter/story up until now and feel like it, I would appreciate reviews! Ask questions, message me, etc.**

 **Grammar may not be perfect, so you can point out the faults or forgive (both are valid options) since I'm not a native English speaker.**

 **Thank you for reading! See you soon!**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Sunshine, flowers, happy smiles and bloody tears

Pain. Pain was one thing she felt as she drifted through the darkness around her. Body tearing apart. Screams going unheard in the darkness, in the emptiness that swallowed her being whole. _Did she cry?_ She couldn't remember if she did or if she laughed. _What did I do?_ Saved them all. _Had she died in the effort?_ _Did any of it mean anything? What was she? Why was she here? Where was she? Was she alive?_

 _ **Does it matter?**_ She wasn't sure it did. The thoughts -the questions and answers, the hopes and fears faded to nothing soon. Soon enough she was alone in the darkness again. Her body was heavy, but she felt weightless at the same time. Her mind was plagued by questions, but the silence reigned. _This is fine. I can stay here._

 _ **Can you? Don't you have something to do?**_

She had protected them; she had kept her promise as much as she could. She had brought Lucy and Natsu to healers -to their guild. They were safe. She could sleep for a while. She had kept her promise. _**Didn't you promise?**_ Did she?

" _ **We're going to be fine, and once this is finished, I promise that we're going to go on a real date."**_ _Alexa told him and Natsu smiled._

Oh, she had promised him that, hadn't she? And he had promised that they would go out to town and do the things all couples did. He would be sad if she slept and didn't go on that date. So, she had to wake up. Deep blue eyes blinked open and took in the darkness around her. She was going to leave this place. She felt nothing while she was here. Her fears and doubts were muted as were her joy and sorrow. She needed to leave to get back to him.

Alexa turned around, looking into the inky darkness that surrounded her. She reached out and moved she could glide through the darkness. There was a flash in the blackness. She turned her head and a brilliant blue bird cut through the never-ending darkness. Alexa reached out a hand only to touch nothing. Another flash made her turn to see purple butterfly flutter trough the darkness, followed by another bird, this time it was brilliant crimson. They too disappeared into darkness.

Alexa reached out to the direction where the apparitions had flown to -the darkness parted allowing golden light to shine upon her. She moved toward it and upon reaching the brilliant flame that shone in the darkness she reached out her hands to cradle the flame in them. It was warm and so brilliant that is hurt her eyes but the flame itself felt gentle. She embraced it and closed her eyes. Upon opening them the world looked different.

She was awake.

FAIRY TAIL

Erza paced. She turned to look at the door of the infirmary where three of her teammates laid. Lucy had been the worst off from the group when they had arrived and Wendy and Shelia -who had luckily been visiting- had focussed all of their energy on healing her so that she was stable. The three unconscious mages had been carried to the infirmary where they had remained ever since then. As soon as they had arrived the Master had sent for Porlyusica. The old healer had arrived soon after just as the two girls had finished repairing the damage that had been done to Lucy's internal organs and stopped the blood loss. Porlyusica had mostly focussed on examining Natsu and Alexa. They had both suffered from severe magic depletion, but Alexa had successfully healed Natsu enough that his condition wasn't life threatening, but the brunette had used too much magic with her teleportation. It had been touch and go for several days as the support mage had slowly healed to the extent that her body could begin absorbing the ether nano in the air.

They had returned six days ago and while Lucy had almost fully healed and had woken up a few days later she was still stuck in bed until Wendy or Porlyusica gave the all clear. Natsu had been awake for brief periods of time, always inquiring after Alexa but after eating he would always fall back to sleep. The old healer had guessed that the pair needed at least a week before they could awaken properly and even, they wouldn't be taking on jobs for several weeks though Natsu was always unpredictable. Wendy had remarked that the dragon slayer would probably recover faster if he wasn't bonded but because his boded was magically weak at the moment, he was unconsciously sharing his magic with the brunette in order to heal her. Erza suspected that he was doing it intentionally, though she had no prove.

Gray had been by, visiting Lucy several times but had stayed out of the guild for the most part. Erza had told him to stay away until he had calmed down and sorted out his thoughts. She knew it was difficult for -all the things that happened in the war and all the bad memories. She knew that he was just afraid. But that didn't mean that he the right to say _that._

Erza sighed and stopped. Worrying wouldn't help her. She had been doing nothing but worry for the past week as she waited for Alexa to awaken. There was no telling when that would be. Wendy had been by every few hours and Porlyusica tried to visit at least once a day but neither of them could really say when she was waking up. The older healer and the Master had also been worried about the fact that their soul bond could have been damaged. Erza hoped that it wasn't the case and once again cursed the fact that she hadn't been able to keep the group safe. If she had spotted, he danger sooner she could have prevented Lucy's injury which in turn would have given Alexa and Natsu a change to complete their original plan. She could have prevented all of this if she had been more careful and more alert. If she had _only done more. If only she could have done better. If only she was better._

"Erza?" The tone was gentle, and the red-haired mage raised her gaze to see Mirajane standing a few feet away. "What is it?" Erza didn't allow a sliver of her inner turmoil to enter her voice but she could see that the silver haired mage knew.

"Come sit with me? I want to talk." The suggestion was a carefully hidden half order and Erza didn't really feel like picking a fight with the takeover wizard. They made their way to a more secluded corner of the guild with Mirajane bringing two cups of steaming hot tea to the table. They sat down across from one another. Mira smiled, her silver hair shifting when she leaned forward a bit.

"Are you alright?" Her voice quiet -not a whisper but soft so no one would be able to overhear. Natsu was still asleep, Wendy was helping Lucy in the infirmary and Gajeel was out on a job so none of the people who had sensitive ears were within earshot. Erza shook her head.

"Not really." She didn't elaborate. She didn't need to.

"I know. And I know that blaming yourself won't do any good to anyone." Erza raised her gaze from the table, startled. She highly doubted that she was that transparent. She had been careful to keep her expression stoic when dealing with other guild members, had controlled her voice when she had felt the need to cry over the fact that she had _failed_ and the fact that people had been hurt because she couldn't protect those she held dear.

"No one else knows." Mirajane quickly reassured her. Erza sighed slightly before turning her gaze back to the other woman waiting for her to continue. "It's pretty easy find faults with what you did and what you could have done. You question your choices and wonder why you made them, what did you base them on. You blame your arrogance and your lapses in judgement. You find blame and faults in everything and because you are the person you are… you blame yourself. You can say it was your fault but that won't change the fact that it wasn't anyone's fault and more importantly that it happened." The silver haired mage stopped and briefly looked over her shoulder. Her blue gaze landed on Lisanna who laughed along with their guild mates.

"You can't change it. No one can. Wondering about the what-ifs and the maybes doesn't help anyone. Nor does it change the fact that there is no blame to lay here. Doubting yourself leads to nowhere good. At best you'll feel terrible. At worst it will affect your judgement on the field -lead to a moment of hesitation that may lead to your death or the death of those that you want to protect." Mira's gaze was gentle, but underneath all the warmth and happiness that she shrouded herself in there was sadness and regret.

"I blamed myself. It almost cost people their lives later. I can't say that I have completely left that doubt behind -I felt the self-hatred and fear for far too long to simply shake it off. You don't have to. What happened was in way in your control. And even if it was -the choice you made was right in that moment. If it led to bad results -how could you have known that? So, don't blame yourself." Erza nodded as Mira reached over the table to squeeze her hand. It felt warm and for the first time in almost a week Erza allowed herself to stop. She allowed herself to forget about the doubts and fears. The feeling of being an utter failure. Accepting the gentle hand squeeze, Erza smiled. She felt better.

"Thank you, Mira." She was grateful. The takeover mage smiled back and nodded. "It's okay. These things can happen. The key is to always keep looking toward tomorrow and keep you head." The white-haired mage stood slowly before turning back to Erza. "I'll go check on Wendy if she needs any help changing Lucy's bandages. Coming with?"

Erza looked at her for a few seconds and just wondered. Would the dark thoughts come back if she stood up now? Would they come back when she saw the injury that the celestial mage would carry as a scar for the rest of her life or when she saw the two unconscious wizards whose bonds could be damaged beyond repair? But she had to face them all eventually. Erza stood as well and looked down at the teacups on the table. Hers was empty. When had she drank it all? Maybe it was better to deal with this now. Whatever came to her mind she could deal with it, if not alone then with the people of this guild -with her family. Eventually it was going to be a faint memory. A smile came to rest on her lips as she turned to look out of the window that was behind her. The sun was shining gently -its rays warming her back.

"Yeah." They were all going to be alright.

FAIRY TAIL

"How are you feeling? Any better?" Wendy asked as she sat down next to the celestial mage. Lucy blinked up tiredly but gave a reassuring smile which the sky dragon slayer returned.

"I'm better, thanks. The wound doesn't hurt at all anymore, in fact the bruises are the only thing that really cause any discomfort." Wendy nodded and reached over to pull the sheets lower or she what she was working with. There were large -purplish-green bruises that decorated the pale skin. The dragon slayer frowned but nodded to herself before bringing forth her healing magic and beginning the task.

"How are they?" Lucy asked and Wendy glanced at the blonde mage who was looking to her right where Natsu and Alexa laid -on separate beds but the beds had been pushed together to allow them the closeness. The master had been quite insistent on the fact that the pair remain close. Wendy had only later learned that they were soul bonded and she had blushed crimson when Erza had told her.

She remembered the lessons that Grandeeny had given her. The dragon had told her every detail of the bonding experience and had described it as something that was beyond words. Wendy had loved the stories that told of the bonds and the adventures and the loving tales that her dragon mother told her. She had loved the idea of a bond. Still did, but the thought had faded. This world seemed so large that the possibility of ever meeting the person seemed so small. She hadn't given up hope but accepted that since Gajeel, Natsu, Sting and Rogue had found their place and their mates there was a change that she might not. And while the thought of that saddened her, she had the whole guild behind her. A bonded wasn't a necessity to a dragon slayer and with Fairy Tail even less so.

"Natsu is going to fine. If he wasn't bound by the bond, he would already be up and about. Similarly, Alexa might be dead if she didn't have that bond." Wendy told her and Lucy nodded before turning her gaze back to the sheets that covered her legs.

"They can share magic, right?" Lucy asked and the blue-haired mage nodded. "Yeah, it's a bonus when you need a bit of extra strength in a fight but a draw back when you are recovering from one." The dragon slayer said before straightening where she had been leaning over the celestial wizard.

"There. I healed some of the more serious bruises. It should let you sleep a bit easier. Now let's look at that wound." Lucy nodded and let the healer quickly unbutton the infirmary shirt she was wearing. Wendy took the shirt of from the other wizard without causing any discomfort to her patient before discarding it to the foot of the bed and beginning to unwrap the bandages.

The wound that was revealed from beneath the white bandages was pinkish with bruising around it. Wendy turned around and disinfected her hands before turning back to Lucy and laying slightly damp cloth over the wound. Cleaning the area gently the dragon slayer inspected the wound with her magic. The wound would scar. When the group had come in and Erza had rushed to explain everything Alexa had told her and Gray Wendy had been grateful to the support mage for removing the dark energy that had been in the wound. While Wendy and Shelia had sensed traces of it, it hadn't intervened with the healing of the internal organs or the blood replenishing. That was most likely the only reason that Lucy had pulled through.

"Okay. It looks good. It'll leave a scar, but it'll be quite faint considering how bad it could have been if the dark magic had festered for much longer." Lucy nodded and just then a knock was heard on the door.

"It's me and Erza. Can we come in?" Mira asked. Lucy nodded and Wendy called back. "Yeah."

The pair entered the infirmary and headed over to Lucy's bed. "So, how are you doing Lucy?" The white-haired mage asked, and Lucy smiled.

"Better than a few days ago. I'm ready to leave this bed and go home so I can sleep in my own bed." Erza chuckled with Mira while Wendy gave her a serious look.

"Tomorrow at the earliest. And even then, you need a check-up every day for a week. This was a serious injury." The small wizards statement earned a smile for the older wizards though Lucy looked resigned.

"Yeah. I'm just looking forward to getting to go out. Being cooped up in here gets boring, you know?" Wendy sighed and shook her head before reaching over to the tray that held gauze and other medical supplies.

"Help me?" Wendy asked as she held a pad over the wound. Mira reached for a roll of gauze and came over while Erza moved to the other side to help. In a few minutes the bandage was secured, and the dragon slayer handed Lucy her shirt back. The red-haired mage helped her to put the light blue shirt on before sitting down next to her bed.

"It's good to see that you're recovering." Erza said with a smile. Lucy nodded and gave weak smile in return.

"Yeah… but Alexa and Natsu…" Wendy nodded and made her way to the pair. Natsu was sleeping on his side -one hand extended so that he could hold the support mages hand in his. The brunette was sleeping on her back, hair splayed around her head on the pillow. There were several dark strands mixed in and the ends were almost black. Her skin was still pale and the darkness around her eyes seemed lighter than the day before, but Lucy couldn't be sure. The support mage breathed slowly, and her heart beat steadily. Each beat was visible as a darkening of the visible veins.

Wendy lowered her hand to Alexa's forehead, her healing magic lighting her palms in green as she slowly examined the brunette. The magic that had been stripped from her core had been slowly returning. It was a good sign but the slow rate of the process worried both Wendy and her older mentor. It would take a great deal of time before the brunette could even think about going out on a job.

Natsu seemed to be fast asleep but Wendy could tell that he was quite aware of what was happening around him. The dragon instincts and the bond were constantly keeping the dragon slayer alert to their surroundings. He had to be able to defend his bonded if the situation called for it. Wendy was allowed near because she was someone he trusted and knew to a part of his pack. Because of this he was willing to let her treat his other half. Anything threatening -intending to harm his bonded would be met with a fiery end.

Wendy pulled her hand and along with it her magic back. The support mage was healing but slowly and it was anyone's guess when she was going to wake up. She told as much to the others.

"It's going to be fine. They are in no danger and recovering." Mira's gentle voice floated through the air, encouraging the other occupants. Wendy nodded.

"Yeah, both will be fine. They just need time to heal." Wendy said and Lucy gave a chuckle.

"And then we all start wondering who would shut Natsu up." Lucy said and Erza gave a small smile.

"Indeed, the guild will be back to normal soon. I'm certain." Her words were directed to those who were awake, but her brown eyes rested on the slumbering pair. Erza hoped that she was correct.

FAIRY TAIL

"Unbelievable." The voice was distinctly female, though one could say that it was strange with its deep tone and slight accent. The sound seemed harsh in the emptiness and its echo was not any kinder to the ears of those listening.

A dozen soldiers stood at attention, their backs facing the speaker their eyes gazing into the darkness around them. The residue of darkness lingered but even in that moment it seemed to be fading, receding back into its resting place. The stone pillars with their elaborate carvings stood strong in the light of the fire that shone from the torches around the area. The altar stood in the middle and above it shone the sealing stone. Dark red and orange lines spread from it -like rivulets of blood flowing outward. The blue light shining from the stone was accentuated by the red lines that pierced the jewel itself.

The speaker stood in front of the altar -long, dark violet hair pulled high on a ponytail, with silvery eyes staring at the stone reflecting the blue shine. Tanned skin of exposed hands and face seemed pale in the strange lighting and the sleek and curve hugging steel plating was intimidating. Across her lower back where two swords, both decorated with jewels and curved as most dessert blades were. She rubbed a hands over chin in thought before settling both hands on her hips.

"Un-fucking-believable. I mean what the hell is this fucking bullshit, eh? I mean fuck. Dad's gonna lose his shit when he hears about this." She turned around and looked the guards that stood around her. "Gentlemen, we're all gonna die." The woman told them with cheer and a fake smile. The soldiers around stood still as they had been trained to do. She sighed before walking sown from the altar.

"Yeah, yeah, say nothing, feel nothing, never disobey and always be willing to die for the fucking emperor who hasn't been seen in over three centuries. Fuck this." She walked past the guards who quickly lined up behind her while one ran to her, offering a deep blue cape with silvery decorations and twelve lines that gave her the title of general. She took it with an annoyed sigh and clasped it on before turning to survey the area. There were clear signs of a fight. She crouched; eyes narrowed as she touched the cave floor. It was warm to the touch, but the deep gashes radiated dark energy and icy coldness. She stood up again before walking a bit further into the darkness. There were a few places with blood on the ground. One pool was larger than the others and radiated dark energy strongly. She stood above it reaching out with magic.

The only response she got from the probing was a faint whisper of ether magic. She frowned; her talents were limited when hunting magical opponents. Long distances were not her strong suite, and she largely specialised in tracking with short distances. Descending on one knee she touched her fingers to the crusted blood. This blood belonged to another -it was laced light element magic, and pure, unlike the ether magic user who had always employed a high level nether magic spell. She turned on her heel and started to walk with the guards following her.

She made her way across the cave before ascending the stairs at the other end of the cave. She kicked the door open with a loud bang and glanced at the blood-stained floor. The bodies that had been there had been removed.

"Sis, this shit is hopeless. The seal is as strong as ever and the fucking monster is licking its wounds and refuses to even answer." Her call wasn't answered, and she sighed. Continuing across the lobby she opened the front door of the house and watched as guards that had been standing guard turned to greet her before turning back to surveying the area.

"Hey, Jay!" One of the guards turned to her with a bored look. He had been part of their personal guard unit for over four years. Jay had been dealing with their shit for even longer as their childhood friend.

"General, how my I be of service?" His voice was as bored as his expression and she smirked at him before turning to glance around the area. When she failed to spot the person, she was looking for she turned back to him.

"Any idea where Gail is?" Her question was met with a collective shiver from the soldiers and Jay's expression darkened.

"General Marcet has left to take care of the girl. She said she would be returning shortly." She nodded while turning look at the sky -the moon was half full and partly covered by the clouds. She allowed a sigh of relieve. They might survive the trip with minimal bodies.

Jay turned to look at her and she returned her gaze to him. His light blonde hair and hazel eyes had earned him the title as the squads 'pretty boy'. He was handsome and sure he was better suited to being a diplomat or possibly a rich bachelor but he had chosen the life with the sisters. A life which was basically following the two wizards around and doing reports and boring chores. They were more than capable of taking care of themselves. And he knew that. Jay also knew that Gail was wild card and unstable at the best of times. And he worried. Because of the seriousness of the situation and the fact thay had known each other forever he dared to speak to her in familiar terms.

"Astra… was it necessary?" His voice was quiet, the soldiers could hear them, but they were loyal and their pretence of discretion assured that no one would tattle. A traitor would be found and skinned alive and no one was stupid enough to risk it.

"Which part of it? The murder? This whole mission? The girl?" Astra asked while readjusting her swords slightly.

"Any of it." Astra hummed at the question and glanced toward the village. The lights were still on even in the darkness of the night. She knew the answer. _**No.**_ But she also knew that there had been an order and that order had to be respected and fulfilled to the T.

"Necessary? No. Was it an order? Yes." Her answer seemed to silence Jay and the front lawn descended into silence.

There was a rush of air and flash of silver. Astra didn't even blink while the guards shifted in unison -fear and trepidation pulling them back from the creature before them. The moon became visible from beneath the dark clouds and shined upon the group. Before them stood the picture-perfect goddess. Her hair was dark as the night sky, reflecting the moonlight. Silver eyes gleamed where they were hidden in the dark shadows of the pale face. Her long white cape with its silver decorations shined while the dark armour with silver lining and engravings hugged her body closely. She had sword on her left hip -heavily decorated with jewels along with the sheath.

"Gail! Finally, I was waiting for you." The black-haired woman narrowed her eyes and Astra glanced at the pale hands that were visible. Dark splatters were visible there and on the cape.

"The girl's dead." Her voice was beautiful -melodious and soft but strong. It commanded attention and respect. Astra smiled before turning to gesture toward the house.

"That's one less problem. I need you help with something." Astra stepped toward the house and saw that the other followed after her. They descended the stairs while accompanied by around half of the soldiers. Astra guided the other to the blood-stained area and was rewarded with a deep inhale and narrowed eyes.

Gail stepped forward and kneeled -her armoured knee touching the floor with a soft 'clank'. She touched the blood with pale hands, rubbing the crusted blood before bringing her fingers to her nose. A deep inhale. There was a low hum and Astra stepped aside along with the guards. The lack haired woman stood up, the jaw length hair brushing her cheeks as she brushed her eyebrow length bangs aside. The silver eyes flashed as she turned around.

She sensed the person. The one who had almost bled out on the cave floor, and the more importantly she sensed the person who teleported out of the cave using powerful Nether magic. Gail drew her sword with slow and deliberate movements. Astra moved along with Jay to cover the soldier behind them. A silvery barrier enveloped the group minus the black haired wizard.

The sword was free and Gail levelled it at the far wall of the cave -the direction where she sensed the wizards responsible for the completed sealing. She brought the weapon back as silvery magic enveloped the weapon. Astra grimaced as she added another protective layer with Jay's help. The swing brought with it a moment of silence and a flash of light. Then the cave was coming down around them before another swing evaporated the stones above them. Astra lowered the barrier and looked at the sealing stone. It had withstood the attack, but the seal was one gain fractured to the point of breaking. Everything that had once stood at the hill- and the hill itself- had been destroyed and the village was little more than a smoking field.

Astra sighed. She had been wrong. The moon shone brightly above them. "We're done here." Gail told them. The blue stone shone weakly and the darkness that it supressed swirled around it once again. Astra turned to follow her younger sister who sheathed her sword and started to walk over the burned ground around them. The moon light was soon covered by the dark clouds and the group was enveloped in darkness.

FAIRY TAIL

A shock wave travelled trough the land. He sensed it -the pieces were once again moving into place. The game of survival and death was one again starting.

"Soon. It is almost time my lord."

 **A/N**

 **Hi! Here's the chapter that opens the door to the next act, arc, whatever. So, I'm introducing Gail and Astra, a villanous pair of sisters that you'll be 'seeing' more as the story goes on. They are one of the few OC's that you maybe should care about since they are going to playing a significant part in the story. Next chapter we're going back to the Fairy Tail members and their struggles.**

 **Hope you enjoyed, if you did please review!**

 **Forgive my grammar errors since I'm not a native english speaker or point the mistakes out and I'll fix them.**

 **Thank you for reading!**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Home

Natsu was the first to sense it. The bond pulsed, responding to his touch for the first time in over a week. He had been keenly aware of it, the damage done to the bond and the feeling of icy coldness that had flowed through. The bond had been strained, damaged to a point that it was a miracle it had not broken. Alexa had been hanging on by a thread for several days after which the bond and the support mage had started to slowly heal. It would be a while before the bond regained its strength and the progress of recovery was depended on Alexa's and his healing and recovery.

The moment he felt Alexa finally answer the touch he awoke. The feeling of safety and love surrounded both, calming and healing them at a faster rate than before. Her emotions -confusion and anxiety but also love and hope- filled his thoughts and Natsu responded in kind, with calming thoughts and love. His olive-green eyes opened and sought out the blue ones. They opened, slightly darker than their normal colour, but she was awake and aware. Her hand that he had been dutifully clasping for days squeezed his and Natsu allowed a relieved grin to overtake his face. She was going to be okay.

"How long…?" Her voice was quiet and her movements sluggish as she turned to face him, but she was awake.

"Nine days, I think." His answer was met with a raised eyebrow and he clarified. "I've been pretty out of it too, so I'm relying on Wendy's visits for the time frame." He paused and shifted so he could run his other hand through her hair. It was greasy as was his -they both needed a shower badly.

"I was worried about you. No matter how far I reached for you, you never answered. I couldn't tell if you were okay or not… If you would ever wake up again." His voice, normally loud, was soft.

Alexa shook her head slightly and reached to brush her other hand across his cheek. "No, I felt you reaching out. I felt your warmth and energy, your magic. It was what pulled me back. I was lost and it was you who guided me back to this world."

Natsu gave a sad smile and Alexa answered with a small smile of her own. They fell silent, hands clasped together, eyes locked. It felt good to just breath for a moment, knowing that both were going to be fine.

"Welcome back." Natsu said and Alexa smiled. "Good to be back."

Sometime later Wendy walked into the infirmary, to asses Alexa's condition and was pleasantly surprised to see the pair awake and talking quietly. She ran her hands over the brunette, and when pulling back she smiled.

"Your magic reserves seem to be healing slowly but steadily. You're physically fine for the most part but it's possible to experience nausea, light headedness and weakness for a while after such a long time asleep not to mention the severe magic depletion that you suffered. Take it easy for a while and you should be okay." The blue haired dragon slayer told her, and Alexa nodded.

"Yeah, I'm not going on a job for a while." Natsu frowned but didn't comment. Wendy however did.

"Your magical reserves are healing very slowly. It seems strange that the rate is this slow even when you're bonded to Natsu who is supplying you with magic. It's just odd that healing rate is decreasing instead of increasing like it should." There was a moment of silence while Alexa looked at the healer before sighing and shaking her head, dropping her gaze at the same time.

"It's because of the magic that I used. Teleportation across such a large distance is already something draining in and of itself -I can usually do it once a month. It depletes my reserves severely and because of that I usually don't do it. It's a last resort for the most part. Afterwards, if my reserves were full then I just need two weeks to recover to normal, though the effects of the teleportation still linger -weakness in my limbs, sluggish magic flow as a few examples. These effects usually dissipate in a few weeks." She paused and looked at Natsu again. "Thanks to your magic I'm already recovering faster than normal. But the amount of magic that I used was larger than normal. I would think it will take me at least a month before I can consider a job and another month before I can say that the effects are completely cleared. I won't be able to use any of the high-level spells during that time either. Not to mention that I fried most of my more delicate magic pathways -the ones in my hands and fingers in particular- while overusing my limited healing capabilities."

"It's going to be a vacation for you then. I'm sure that both of you could use that time to allow the bond to heal." Wendy said and Alexa nodded in agreement.

"Yes, I think that a bit of rest will do wonders. Not to mention we both owe a date to the other." Alexa said and received a happy grin from the fire user.

"That we do, so once you've rested a bit more I think I have a good place in mind." Alexa gave a gentle smile at the happiness that his expression showed and the love and devotion and the pure joy she felt coming through the bond.

They were going to be fine.

FAIRY TAIL

Gray didn't move a muscle. His breath was slow and steady. The scene that laid before him was shocking, but the anger and hatred was overwhelming him and the water mage who stood beside him. The village where they had taken the sealing job in, was decimated -or more accurately wiped from the face of the earth. The hill where the house had stood was gone along with the hill. The only landmark was the sealing stone and the stone that it had been attached to.

He and Juvia stood before it, the weak glow of the sealing stone barely perceptible in the sunlight. The earth around the area was scorched, like a bright flame had laid waste to the whole area. But the surface of it was even, all the mounds and blades of grass had been cut evenly, like someone had taken a blade to area and sliced a portion off. A burning hot blade.

"This is… this is horrible." Juvias' voice was small, quiet and Gray understood. It was like standing in the graveyard. Everything was still. No birds or animals in sight and the area stood silent. Even the wind that had been prominent in the days that they had spent there seemed to be absent from the area. Everything stood still. Nothing seemed to move.

"Yeah…" His voice faded; his thoughts were conflicted. This kind of devastation was something he had never seen. Though he had to wonder if it was sadder than the moment when they had finally just looked at Magnolia and the other towns were the fighting in the war had taken place in. Everything had been destroyed but the difference was that you could see the signs of the shops, you could see the houses and picture what the piles of rouble once were. This place had been wiped clean. Nothing remained and there was no one to remember.

They had searched and it seemed that everyone who lived in the town had been there when the destruction had come. Only some distant relatives had been around the area -crying, searching for a sign of their relatives and loved ones being alive. And there had been none. The magic of whatever had destroyed the area, hung in the air but Gray couldn't make heads or tails of it. He couldn't say who or what it belonged, what kind of magic it was… nothing. And the fact was that it hurt to walk by the few people grieving and not having any answers.

"I just don't get it. The seal was supposed to be secure. And it held… so why did this happen?"

Juvia reached a pale hand to touch the stone that acted as the seal. The cracks were wide, and her fingers skimmed the jagged edges. The blue stone, decorated with a dozen different flecks, pulsed slightly. The water mage withdrew her hand and let it fall.

"It wasn't the seal. The seal held. But something else happened." Gray cast a worried look toward the other.

"What the hell could have caused this?" He turned, surveyed the destruction around them.

"I don't know." Her answer was his as well. Neither could say what had happened here. What had caused the annihilation around them. But one thing they both knew was the fact that whatever had caused it, was a force to be reckoned with.

The ice mage reached hand toward the water user who quickly clasped it and he led them away. There was nothing that they could do here. The seal's state was worrisome, but they couldn't do anything about it. They had to report back to the master and see if he had any way of dealing with the situation.

"We better get back, and fast." Juvia nodded and the pair hurried to the closest road that would take them back to the previous village where the train station was located at. Juvia felt the distinct feeling of evil in the air as she hurried along with her beloved ice wizard. And she remembered that feeling from not long ago -the feeling of evil and bloodlust. And the crimson moon. They had hurry back.

FAIRY TAIL

"I'm glad you're okay." Loke said when he appeared before her in a flurry of light. Lucy shook her head with a small smile.

"No, I'm glad you're fine. For a moment… I thought that you might be dead." Loke frowned at her voice, sorrowful and sad as it was. Lucy refused to meet his gaze and the spirit shook his head.

"I'm alright. We're all fine. It was you who worried us. When we felt what happened to you and knowing that I couldn't help -that none of us could do anything to help… It was heart-breaking for all of us." The blond met his gaze then. Her large brown eyes swam with tears that threatened to spill.

"I was careless… I should have been more focussed on the battle, but I was just so tired, so exhausted and then seeing and feeling you get hurt… I just…" Lucy cried and Loke moved comfort her -his arms circling around her to keep her grounded.

His gaze glanced around the room over the blonde's shoulder -the bedroom she usually kept so neat was in disarray. Her clothes were strewn about, the towel she had used the night before had been dropped to the floor carelessly and the mug left on the edge of the table was still half full of what seemed to be tea. The celestial wizard was a mess and the spirit leader had no idea how to help her, other than just being there and comforting her.

He just hoped that it would be enough and that it would help her with the recovery. Loke knew that there would be nightmares. The bond between Lucy and her spirits was strong. She had formed a powerful connection with each one and now that bond was the reason for her pain -she had felt his pain, his suffering in that brief instant before he had been able to cut it. And it had led to her injury and almost to her death.

His worry was mirrored by all the other spirits. Most knew how kind Lucy was even if not contracted to her. None of them ever wanted to see her hurt or even sad if they could help it. Now she was both. And they were unable to support her like humans could. There was a time limit to them being with her and their very presence was exhausting to her if they didn't use their own powers to remain in the human world. Most of them didn't have the capability to do so. It was the reason that they had remained in their world when she had been injured -forcing the gate open from their side and then sapping her strength would have been the final blow to her weakened state.

So, they had waited, anxiously. And then they had felt for a fact that she was safe, healing and recovering. It had been such a relief that had wanted to arrange a celebration. They hadn't, but the plans were already in motion to hold one if Lucy so desired. But Loke wasn't going to bring that up right now. He wasn't going to tell her how relieved they had all been. Not when she was still crying and clutching onto his jacket with all her might.

She had been physically healed, her wound long gone. But she had been left with the residue feeling of icy terror and hopelessness. The feeling of almost dying still lingered in her mind and the memory of her spirits suffering didn't help her in any way. Loke only hoped that feeling him and the other spirits close to her would ease her pain. And he hoped that it would be enough. Because healing physical wounds was easy, but the wounds that had been carved into one's subconsciousness were much harder to treat, let alone heal.

He held her just a tiny bit more firmly to his chest. He would protect her -this failure would not happen ever again. And he knew for a fact that all the spirits shared his feelings, including the King. She would be safe and protected.

FAIRY TAIL

Gail stood in silence. Her steel heeled boots were surprisingly silent as she shifted her gaze from the small house to the direction of the coast. She smelled the one who had been injured. A celestial wizard always had a distinct scent never mind the very special magic that they employed. This one was especially powerful, but Gail was more interested in the Ether and Nether magic user.

She knew only three people who had the skill and affinity to use those two elements. One was her father who regularly employed a mix of them, another was her teacher who used Nether magic as base for other spells and one was Jay who used Ether magic as a family heritage -his element was light primarily but the Ether magic complimented that just fine. So, when she encountered, or sensed a person capable of using the opposing elements in such large-scale spells she was intrigued.

Gail glanced at the house again before turning away and dropping down to the street level. She landed in a shadowy alley and quickly walked to the main street. She made her way to the coast area of the city and came face to face with the guild hall of Fairy Tail. The wizard cocked her head before turning around and walking back to the city. She memorised the whole town around her -every path she took and every path she saw, each house, the colour and the structure.

When she was sure that the city was familiar to her, she vanished silently. Reappearing outside of the town she strained her senses. There were several who had been able to sense her use of magic, but none seemed too alarmed by it. Her assessment of the area was complete. The town was being rebuild but the structural chances weren't anything major -it was built like any other town in Ishgar. There was one guild which had several high-level wizards, but most seemed quite content to ignore unfamiliar magic. A peaceful town, while still recovering from war it had lax security and the wizards had gained a confidence in their own abilities. Overconfidence and lacking in knowledge. That suited her just fine.

Gail turned and walked back to her mount -a black mare that had been tied to a tree. The horse stood silently in the shade, ears moving every so often, but its eyes remained closed. Gail untied the reins and slung them over the mares' head before reaching for the saddle to pull herself up. After settling she pulled off the brown hood down but kept the cape that covered her amour on. The grey furs lining the cape fluttered in the slight breeze as she slowly turned the mare around and encouraged it away from the town.

As the distance increased and Magnolia grew to be little more than a small dot in the distance Gail finally bend down to brush the horses' neck. The glacier blue eyes of the mare sharpened, the horizontal lines morphing to vertical ones and the colour deepened. Gail leaned closer while clasping both hands on the reins. Most people believed that because of all the magical advancements, old travelling methods like riding a horse were just that -old and impractical.

The horse breeds were raised in her country were different. More intelligent, faster and stronger. Not to mention the fact that if they were raised and trained correctly they served loyally until their death. The horses were magical creatures -and when one raised it from it's birth it bonded to it's owner magically. It ensured loyalty and more importantly it ensured that the horse could use some of its masters magic. And this mare had been with Gail since the beginning.

"Run, Aella." The magic formed a halo of power around the pair before the galloping steps seemed to strike deeper, the earth resonating under the heavy hooves of the mare. The air parted before them.

Gail smiled as she felt the mare move beneath her. She felt home here more than anywhere else -here, riding like the wind, galloping across the fields in the light of the setting sun with the feeling of the hunt rushing in her veins. The scent of the two mages lingered in her nostrils, the feeling of their magic twisted beneath her skin and the sight of their beloved town was burned into her memory. She was ready for whatever order she was handed down next. She encouraged Aella to move faster. She was regrouping with her sister come morning. It was going to be a long night of riding and she wanted to reach the meeting spot so she could sleep before their return trip home begun.

A glance toward the sky told her that the moon was even smaller than a few nights ago -the blood lust weaker her control stronger. Silvery eyes watched as the last rays of the sun vanished beneath the mountainous horizon. The power surged and Aella threw her head back, mixed blue eyes flashing in the darkness. It was the perfect night for a hunt.

A shadowy figure walked between fields. A smirk. A scream. The moon light shone down onto the figure laying in a pool of blackness. A perfect night indeed.

FAIRY TAIL

The breeze lifted a plume of sand from the dynes. Laxus closed his eyes in irritation as the sand circled the group. The caravan was moving slowly but surely trough the desert land. They had lost daylight an hour ago but that didn't bother the navigators who had been traversing these lands for their entire lives. They had rested in the hottest time of the midday and afternoon hours and were now continuing until the next morning. Upon stopping they would once again build their tent settlement and then rest before packing and then moving again.

He had been in the desert for almost a week. After Mirajane had told him about her concerns he had gone to the border. Nothing had seemed amiss so he had joined one of the caravans to see if the situation would change when travelling to the desert kingdom. Nothing had happened so far, and it seemed that the group was starting to relax.

When he had first requested that he join them on their next crossing he had been met with scepticism and questions about his motivations. After explaining that he simply wanted to see the kingdom beyond the desert and that he was willing to offer his skills as a wizard to the groups protection he was welcomed. As they had left the closest town to the border on Ishgars side the atmosphere had been tense. Only after they had crossed the border had the group started to calm down and after several days into the desert crossing had they relaxed to the point that chatter started to become common place in the group.

They were still careful -no fires and nothing was to be left behind. If those two things were taken care of they could hide in the valleys between the high dynes and the wind wiped their prints away in a few hours. They were untraceable. Laxus wasn't sure what to make of the measures the group took to stay hidden since he couldn't really talk to any of them -some didn't even understand the language he spoke, and most wanted little to do with him. He guessed that few if any even trusted him. And he wasn't sure what to do about that other than continuing to keep an eye on their surroundings and helping those he could with whatever they needed help with.

The was a slight shift in the air. Laxus raised his gaze and looked around while walking among the group. At first, he didn't see anything but as he checked for a second time, he saw a mounted figure in the distance. It was such a small figure that most would have missed it. The lightning user slowed down slightly and kept a steady eye on the figure.

Whoever the person was, they didn't seem to be an immediate threat to the caravan. He hoped that their luck would hold out. They still had another week to go before they could reach the big desert towns that surrounded the capital. One more week of vulnerability. The shadow followed them until the first morning light and then vanished. The feeling of eyes remained and Laxus found that the sleep evaded him during their resting time.

The night after he saw the shadow again. But this time it wasn't alone. There were two more. Laxus didn't like it one damn bit. He just hoped that they wouldn't act.

FAIRY TAIL

"What do you think?" Makarov asked as he turned to the old healer. She shook her head.

"They are strong. And stubborn. Their bond will heal and when it does, they'll be back to normal." Porlyusica told the small man but the white-haired wizard saint seemed troubled.

"I wonder. After everything… I sensed it when they came in after that mission. Laughing, smiling. The feeling of love was so all consuming… I had never felt anything like it." The guild master said and hung his head, shadowing his eyes. "I just wish that they can have that feeling back. It belongs to them and especially to Natsu -he needs her more than any of us could guess."

"The pain that she suffered when she poured her magic into his core… it must have felt like cutting her hands open or pouring boiling water onto them. I wouldn't have been able to go that far. And knowing that the healing process would take months…" The pink haired healer frowned. "She is his anchor. And someone who can watch his back."

Makarov nodded. His hands grasped the wheels of his wheelchair. She would be able to protect the reckless fire wizard. Hopefully. And he would provide a home to the traveller. "You know… I wonder, how are soul bonds created, chosen? Is it fate -and absolute knowledge of the events and choices of the future- or is it just a high compatibility between two people?"

"I don't believe there's such a thing as determined future. The choices we make… those shape us from the moment of our birth until the moment of our death. And the choices of the people around us, the people who came before and those that we touch during our lives are changed and they change us. And most importantly the people that come after us -they will live in the world of our choices." Porlyusica said and Makarov gave her a smile.

"Is that why you want nothing to do with this world? The fact that the choices have been made and they have shaped the world into such an ugly place?" His question was met with a wry smile.

"People make poor choices. It contorts the world and the people must adapt to living in a twisted world. It makes people twisted. I think we can both say we have seen that in action." Makarov nodded, his mind flashing to the war -the pain it had caused and things that had led to it. When all of it had been laid bare before his eyes, he had to wonder who the enemy was. The man who had adapted to living in a world that rejected his very being or the cruelty of the people in the world. Or maybe it was the world and the way it was currently.

"We try our best to change it." He answered instead.

"And in doing so twist it more. Each generation changes things they think are wrong or imperfect and the generation that comes after takes a different direction." Her answer drew a wry smile from him as well.

"You're right. But I have faith that my kids will change it for the better."

"I wonder."

 **A/N**

 **New chapter! Yeah! So we're still doing a bit of filler but it's more of an update on most of th cast and everything that's going on. So there's Laxus, Gray and Juvia, along with one of the villains. And then we had a bit of a debate with Makarov and Porlyusica. So the next chapter is going to start moving the plot along a bit more -date time! and of course a better look at the big bad.**

 **Hope you enjoyed! Please review!**

 **Forgive my grammar errors since I'm not a native English speaker or point them out and I'll fix them. :) Any questions etc, you can send a pm or write in the reviews! See you soon!**


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